Assembled: Avengers Short Stories
by Mystic Lady Fae
Summary: A series of short stories involving Steve and Adena, with appearances from a lot of favorite Avenger characters. Some of these are holiday stories (Thanksgiving, Christmas), but other stuff will be posted, too, as time goes on.
1. Thanksgiving with the Bartons

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing associated with _**Marvel, Captain America, the Avengers, etc**_. Only original characters and ideas are mine.

AN: This is a short story that popped into my head Thanksgiving weekend. Sorry for being a little late posting; my computer died, so I couldn't post it during the holiday. Please enjoy, and don't forget to review. Thanks.

 **Thanksgiving with The Bartons' :**

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Steve nervously asked, eyes darting between me and the dirt road we were on. "It feels like we're imposing on them."

I rolled my eyes and tried to keep myself from laughing. The last time I'd seen him this nervous was when I'd taken him to meet my family for the first time.

"It's going to be fine," I assured him, picking up the map that had fallen on the floor as we drove over rough roads to our destination.

Instead of visiting my family for Thanksgiving, we'd decided to have a quiet holiday with friends; namely Clint and Laura Barton.

Not that I hadn't wanted to visit my parents; far from it. There was nothing I wanted more than to sit at the table with my family, dig into Dad's slow-cooked prime rib, and to have them fuss over _me_ , as opposed to me fussing over everyone else.

But after Sokovia, our plans changed. As the team's leader, Steve had decided that the Avengers needed to stay out of the public eye as much as possible. There would always be coverage of the group after they returned from their missions, but when they were living their civilian lives, they would keep out of sight. And since I didn't want to cause a small media circus by going to visit my parents, we decided to spend the holiday at home.

Then I got a surprise call from Clint Barton, asking us to visit him and his family for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

When I told Steve about Clint's offer, he wasn't thrilled. My husband had very much wanted to hide out in our apartment or in Stark Tower (formerly Avengers Tower), just the two of us and a very large meal, with plenty of cozying up on the couch watching our favorite movies.

I knew he was ready to argue the whole thing out, but when I mentioned wanting to see the new baby, and spending a holiday with friends, Steve caved –probably because I kissed him into submission, and promised that it would be just us for Christmas.

And so we were now on our way to hide out at the Barton house. I had been texting Barton on a burner phone, in order to preserve the secrecy of his family, and he had been sending directions for the past half hour.

It hadn't been an easy journey. The last time we'd visited, it had been via Quinjet, with Clint at the helm. This time, we were driving up –and it had been a long, quiet drive.

Steve and I had taken few driving trips together, but this one was more awkward than the others –actually, it almost felt like the first time we'd met and begun spending time together. Steve said very little as he drove, seeming to put his entire focus on getting us to our destination. I managed to occupy myself with watching movies on my tablet, or having a long text session with Natasha, who was taking a vacation in Aspen for the holiday.

But in spite of my keeping busy, I could sense that something was weighing heavily on Steve's mind, and for some reason, he wouldn't talk about it. When I asked him what was wrong, and reminded him that he could always talk to me, he said that he needed to get his mind around it, and say it in a way that came out right.

So, I decided to give him his space and not pester him until he was ready to talk. And that appeared to be now, as we were pulling onto the long dirt driveway leading up to Clint's house.

Steve's previous comments about us imposing on our friends made me think that perhaps this was what he was worried about; but when I considered it a bit longer, I knew that it was only part of it. Something else was bothering my husband, and I was determined to find out what it was before the end of the trip.

* * *

The greeting we got this time was very different from our first visit.

Months ago, it had been the start of spring, with a touch of warmth and the smell of growing green plants in the air. Our meeting had been awkward and full of the possibility of a dangerous future as we struggled to plan to save the world from destruction.

Today, it was cold, with frost on the ground, and I swear that I could smell the potential for snow in the air. Whatever crops the Barton family grew had been harvested, though I could see some late autumn apples on the ground in a nearby orchard. The house doors and windows were closed against the cold, and smoke drifted up from the main chimney, so a fire was burning inside, keeping the place warm and cozy.

As Steve and I got out of the pickup truck that Tony had loaned us (from the fleet of vehicles Stark Industries keeps), Lila flew out the door, hurdling across the yard, straight towards me. For a little girl, she was fast, and she had a good grip; I couldn't hold back a small grunt as she impacted, then latched onto my waist, a bright smile on her face as she beamed up at me.

"Hi, Lila," I said, smiling back at her. "How are you, sweetie?"

"Fine," she replied, showing me some gaps where she'd lost a couple baby teeth.

Laughing a little, I gave her a tight hug and a kiss on the head. "Where are your mom and dad?"

"Right here," Clint said, coming outside with Cooper. "We'll grab your bags. Did you decide to stay the whole long weekend, or just for Turkey Day?"

Lila gave me a pleading look, her big brown eyes turning on their full power. "Please stay!" she pleaded. "You can sleep in my room!"

Clint chuckled as he and Cooper went to help Steve with our bags. "No, sweetheart; she's going to stay in the guest room, remember?"

She pouted, but when I promised to play with her a lot while I was here, Lila was all happiness and smiles again as she led me towards the house. Inside, Laura was balancing little Nathaniel on her hip as she stirred a large pot of soup on the stove. I spotted a turkey roasting in the oven for the big feast, surrounded by root vegetables and carrots.

The roasting bird and veggies, along with the soup, made the whole house smell incredible. From the look on Steve's face, I knew he felt the same –like any guy, Steve loved a good meal.

Laura came to greet me with a warm hug (or as much of one as she could give me with a baby in her arms), and the offer of soup and toasted garlic bread for lunch. Since Steve and I had eaten breakfast hours ago, we were both starved.

The kids quickly set the dining table, and as Clint began slicing the warm bread, Laura handed me Nathaniel. Surprised, I accepted the tiny boy, who looked up at me with a puzzled expression as he tried to figure out if I was a friend or not.

Studying him closely, I could see that he had his mom's dark eyes, and the few wisps of hair on his head were dark, like hers. It was too early to tell which parent he was going to take after, but I had a feeling he was going to be a handsome devil when he got older.

"That's Auntie Adena," Laura crooned to her infant son as she draped a blue towel over my shoulder. "Your big sissy _loves_ her."

Even though I was flattered at being given the title of "auntie," I seriously doubted that Nathaniel actually understood his mother. But as I bounced him a little in my arms and smiled at his confused face, he seemed to make up his mind about me. I got a big drooling smile, and a small giggle as he reached up to grab my shirt collar with one tiny fist.

"That's a good boy," I whispered. "You are so cute. Don't you think he's cute, Steve?"

Glancing up, I caught Steve giving me the strangest look. "What is it?" I asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He snapped back to himself. "Sorry," he said. "It's just…I like seeing you like that."

I felt something moist through my shirt, and looked down in time to see Nathaniel grab my shirt with a drool-covered fist. "What? All covered in baby spit? It's not an attractive look on me, at least from this angle."

Using the towel, I wiped up the drops, and mopped Nathaniel's mouth, causing him to laugh.

"You're precious," I cooed to him. "Your Auntie Nat is going to adore you."

Bouncing Nathaniel a bit as I walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, I looked at the items scattered around the floor. It mostly consisted of baby stuff: blankets, toys, binkies, a bouncy chair, and a dangling play set in a far corner, with a fluffy blue blanket set up underneath it. A faint trace of baby powder was in the air, mixed in with the smells coming from the kitchen.

"Adena!" Clint called, "Lunch!"

I carried Nathaniel to the dining area and handed him back to his mother, who took him into another room to be nursed. Meanwhile, the rest of us ate heartily; the garlic bread was fresh, not frozen, and the soup was minestrone, the broth so flavorful that it would put any Italian restaurant to shame. There was also a salad with a light dressing, which I loved.

After we finished, I helped Clint load the dishwasher as Laura came back into the room, a sleepy Nathaniel in her arms. "Adena," she said, offering me the baby, "Could you hold him until he falls asleep? I'd like a bite to eat, before I put him down for his nap."

I took the blanket wrapped bundle and gently rocked him, watching as those eyes slowly drifted shut, his tiny mouth sucking eagerly on a green pacifier. In a few minutes, Nathaniel was asleep, his tiny fingers moving a little as he dozed.

When I glanced up, Steve was giving me that look again, and this time, the significance of it hit me.

Steve wanted us to have a baby.

* * *

Adena wanted a talk with him, and Steve had a feeling that he knew what it was about. He hadn't exactly hidden his feelings very well that afternoon, and Adena was a very smart woman. She also happened to know him better than anyone; even Bucky.

After lunch had finished and Laura had put the baby down for a nap, Clint had taken the kids out to hunt down some late-autumn apples for a pie. As he hustled his children out the door, Clint insisted that his friends catch a nap, and join them for some coffee or tea before the big dinner. Steve and Adena had agreed, and gone up to the large guestroom that they were sharing, closing the door behind them.

Once the door was shut, Adena turned to look him in the eye. "We need to talk."

Steve swallowed and moved towards a chair by the window, which had a small seat under it. That's where his wife settled herself, so that she could look at him as they talked. Getting hold of his nerves, Steve took a seat. When it came to Adena, he was usually an open book -he never lied to her, though he did keep certain secrets that were best kept under wraps, and she knew that he had to keep some things hidden, for her safety and that of her family, so she didn't press him on those particular matters.

But if he wanted to talk about a subject that she might become upset about, Steve tended to be wary of what she might do or say in response to it. Adena might be a kind, understanding, generous woman, but if she was pushed too far, she also had a temper. Her punching Tony in the face during the whole Ultron fiasco was proof of that.

"You want kids," Adena bluntly stated, surprising him. "I saw it on your face."

Steve tried not to squirm in his seat. This was a touchy subject, and one that hadn't been brought up a lot during their marriage.

And he couldn't deny it. "Yes, I do."

She didn't look surprised at his straightforward answer. "And have you thought about _how_ we would raise a child, when you're off saving entire nations, and sometimes the entire planet?"

Honestly, Steve hadn't considered it. All he had thought of was him and Adena starting a family together. Was that so bad?

"So you want the kind of situation that Clint and Laura had," Adena said, crossing her arms as she got to her feet and began to pace. "But we can't have that, Steve. The whole world knows that you're married, and there's no way to cover that up again. You can't tuck me away in the countryside and hope that no one recognizes me when I go out. Hell, I get recognized when I step out for coffee."

She walked back towards him. "Disguises won't work, either. Do we really want a child who will be confused about what their mom and dad look like, if we have to wear different faces and use different names whenever we leave home? Would we be their parents when we're at home, and disguise ourselves when we want to go on walks? How much trauma would be putting our baby through, doing something like that?"

Steve wanted to interject, but Adena wasn't finished. "And if we use disguises, how will my parents explain why some strangers and their baby are visiting them for holidays? Because you _know_ I'm going to want my parents to see their grandchild, and my brother to see his niece or nephew."

A frown was forming on her face, and he knew that was a bad sign. He also heard a little resentment as she continued on her small tirade. "And what about _you_? How often will you be there to help raise our child? I know you'll say that you'll take some time off, but every time the world's in danger, you'll apologize, and run off to help the Avengers, because you can't leave them without a leader."

She turned to look at him. "Laura and I are the same; we support our husbands going out and being heroes, but we want our kids to know their father, too. We want it both ways, but that's almost impossible. Clint had to quit the Avengers to be with his family full-time. Are you willing to make the same sacrifice?"

Steve honestly hadn't thought about it that way. He was still a soldier who wanted to fight for the greater good, and being an Avenger was something he enjoyed doing, because it gave him a sense of purpose. He was lucky that Adena had supported that part of his life, and that she had insisted on being helpful to the team as much as possible.

But he had also lost a great deal on his path to becoming Captain America. He had lost his best friend, and he'd lost the possibility of romance and a life with Peggy Carter. His old comrades-in-arms were nearly all dead now, and everything he'd known was long gone. If Fury hadn't brought Adena into his life…well, Steve didn't want to imagine what kind of existence he would be living now.

He swallowed hard. If they had a child, and he couldn't give up being Captain America and an Avenger, would Adena leave him, taking their child with her? If that happened, Steve knew that he'd never be able to live with himself. He'd rather be shot a thousand times than lose Adena, and to lose her and any child they had together would break him.

Part of him argued that he couldn't have both; but why couldn't he? Laura and her kids had been kept hidden for their own protection; no one besides Fury, Natasha, and Clint had known about them. The whole world knew about Adena; they would just have to worry about and protect their child the way others in the public eye did.

' _And I know Tony will help with that_ ,' he reasoned.

When he heard his wife sigh and felt her sag into the seat beside him, Steve reached out and took her hand. Her eyes met his, and he saw fear and worry reflected there.

"Steve, I honestly don't think I'm ready to have kids," she admitted. "I mean, I do want them, but it just seems like the 'right time' to have them will never happen. It always seems that if it isn't one crisis, it's another. Do you understand?"

He did, and it terrified him, too. What if the perfect time to have a baby had already passed by? Life had been quiet and good a couple years ago; things were now the opposite of that. When would they have another quiet moment in their lives to have a child?

Reaching out, Steve pulled his wife into his lap, the two of them sitting silent in the darkening room until they heard Clint call up to them that it was time to set the table for dinner. Steve didn't want to disturb the moment, but he felt Adena's weight shift, and allowed her to get to her feet. He immediately followed, enveloping her in a tight hug as he kissed her.

When he pulled back, he saw a glimmer of a smile in her eyes. They both understood one another, and accepted that as much as they wanted to start a family, it wasn't the right time yet. Maybe someday, they would; but right now, it would have to be just the two of them.

* * *

Holding Steve's hand, we made our way down to the dining room, where we were met with the welcome scents of roast turkey, potatoes, cooked veggies, and homemade gravy. Steve went to help lay out the plates while I watched the kids, baby Nathaniel on my hip as Laura rushed to pull out a freshly baked apple pie from a confection oven, followed closely by a pumpkin pie.

When everything was on the table, Steve took a seat beside me, while Lila sat on my left. When Clint told us to go ahead and dig in, I found myself rushing to keep Lila from knocking various things over as she rushed to get a helping from every dish. I managed to get her a scoop of everything, without spilling (much), and when I finally loaded my plate, I had to keep from laughing at the heaps of food on Steve's, Cooper's, and Clint's. Between the three of them, more than three quarters of the food had vanished from the table.

Everything was delicious, of course. Laura had performed wonders with the turkey, and promised to give me the recipe for the pies, since Steve helped himself to two slices of each kind. When we finished, all of us sat together in the living room to watch a couple family films before bed.

Later in the evening, Steve and I curled up in bed, cuddling close together as we felt the temperature drop. Since I was in a perfect position to look out the window, I was the first to notice the small flurry of flakes that fell from the sky. Huddling closer to my husband, I felt him pull me close and kiss the top of my head.

While I had to admit that it had been a rather bumpy day, what mattered was how we ended it. Today, we had ended on a high note.

I could only imagine how our next holiday would turn out.

* * *

AN: Next up: a Christmas short story.

I know that the US is the only country to have Thanksgiving, and while many do not celebrate Christmas, I really did want to do a kind of "Avengers Holiday Special" story. I never had the chance before this, since I was always working on something else, or if I was working on an Avengers fic, it wasn't that time of year. But now the timing is right, and I wanted to do something a little special for Adena and Steve.

So, even if you don't celebrate any of these holidays, I hope that these stories will at least bring a smile and a bit of joy to my readers. Thank you.


	2. (Holiday) Party Like a Rock Star

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing associated with _**Marvel, Captain America, the Avengers, etc**_. Only original characters and ideas are mine.

AN: Here's the second "short" story. This one is actually quite a bit longer than anticipated, but I hope it makes for a nice read. Enjoy, and please don't forget to review.

 **(Holiday) Party Like a Rock Star** :

Early December:

Normally, the holiday season wasn't a huge thing for me and Steve. For the most part, we had kept it low-key by staying home and not getting lost in the huge crowds.

This little tradition of ours started with our first Christmas together. Steve hadn't been comfortable going out, since moving through huge crowds in unfamiliar surroundings had made him nervous, so we'd just stayed in. We hadn't been comfortable giving each other gifts, but we did buy one another small things, like chocolates and candy.

The following Christmas in Washington D.C. had been just as quiet. By then, we were a married couple, so it made for a much more intimate holiday season. We had cooked a nice meal, curled up together on the couch and stayed up late watching holiday films. Again, the gifts had been small, but that hadn't mattered when we were perfectly happy cuddling in front of the TV.

Last year, we had been in New York, while Tony and Steve had been working on how to get the Avengers together again. Pepper had suggested hanging out together, since we had missed two chances to do so already, but a business emergency at Stark Industries had called them out to California. Pepper had been disappointed, but that was just how life went. They had sent some nice gifts, though, like a tropical fruit basket, and a roast beef so huge, it almost didn't fit in our oven.

This year was the first holiday we were going to have with Steve being part of an active Avengers team. We had thought about getting the group together right after Thanksgiving, but decided that might not be a good idea. The team saw each other way too often, and since things had started to quiet down a little bit, Steve thought it would be best for everyone to take as much of a break from one another as possible.

Since we were going for another quiet holiday season, Steve had thought about asking Bucky over. But after a quick video chat, it was clear that Bucky very much wanted to stay in hiding with Anna. Even though HYDRA was weakened, he didn't want to risk coming out into the open and putting Anna's life at risk again.

"Besides, she told me she's going to make cookies," Bucky said excitedly, his face lit up with a smile. "I've never had someone make me cookies before."

I'd had to hide a smile when he said that. You can always trust to win a guy over with a batch of delicious, fresh-from-the-oven cookie or a pie. And Anna was really good at baking; she had been doing it since she was a child, at her mom's side in the kitchen. Since she'd been out on her own, however, she was always living on a budget, and rarely had a chance to practice her skills.

Steve had been disappointed at missing out on a holiday with his best friend, but a large box arrived a couple days later, with a card. Anna and Bucky had sent us a large package of ready-bake cookie dough, for me to do at home. It was actually part of a private joke between me and Anna: she could bake from scratch, and I couldn't. If I tried, things tended to go sideways.

That had been a couple weeks after Thanksgiving. Now that it was officially December, the holiday spirit was kicking in, and Steve and I were more than ready for the cheer that came with it.

* * *

Although we had planned another quiet Christmas season, Tony had decided otherwise. He and Pepper wanted to have a party at Stark Tower, and they had invited all of the Avengers, past and present. It was going to be strictly a team event, with food, music, and a bunch of socializing.

Since she knew I liked planning things out, Pepper asked for my help with the event. I happily agreed, leaving Steve to finish decorating our apartment (which happened to be one of his favorite things to do during the holidays).

Something I quickly learned was that holiday get-togethers with billionaires can be dangerous –especially if the billionaire is Tony Stark. The man did not know the meaning of the word 'restraint,' or even 'overindulgence.'

"Do we really need this much food?" I asked, looking at the list Pepper had given me. "I mean, without Thor, I think we can cut this in half."

Pepper shook her head. "From what I understand, Pietro can put away as much food as Thor. I'd rather have too much to go around than not enough. If there are leftovers, you guys can take it home."

I sighed and watched some decorators put up a long strand of lights along the windows. The room was filled with the scent of cinnamon, sugar, and some kind of spice, though I had no idea where it was all coming from.

Several tables were set up buffet style, so that people could help themselves to hot or cold food. Tony had gone all-out, with a huge seafood tower that, when set up, would include lobster, crab, oysters, and shrimp that were as big as my hand. The hot food would consist of beef tenderloin skewers, grilled shrimp, cooked potatoes on a stick, and crab cakes, to name a few.

The next big splurge on food was the dessert table, complete with a chocolate fountain and fresh fruit to dip in it. There'd also be little dessert bites of cheesecake, chocolate truffles, and a dozen other little things to nibble on.

As always, the bar was fully stocked, though to make things interesting, there would also be a small fountain flowing with a light, sparkling punch during the festivities. Tony wasn't big on non-alcoholic beverages for himself, but since he had also invited the Barton family, there would be plenty of soda, water, coffee, and juice. In consideration for the kids, the alcohol (and the fountain) would be kept behind the bar, with a very watchful Friday keeping an eye on it via some newly installed cameras.

Tony had also set the place up with sleeping arrangements.

Even though it was technically Stark Tower once again, Tony hadn't changed much of it. The apartments were still there, so everyone would have a quiet place to retreat to if the party got to be too much for them. The only difference in the apartments was that Thor's large suite had been redesigned with the Barton family in mind: there was an extra bedroom for the kids, and a quiet area where Laura could go nurse baby Nathaniel in the middle of the night.

"Are we forgetting anything?" Pepper asked nervously. "We've got decorations, food, drinks…"

I smiled. "Some soft holiday music, maybe? Or an area people can go watch a holiday film or TV show, to have a quiet moment?"

Since we both had holiday favorites, it took us a good hour or so to finally choose what music and movies that would play. We also agreed to set up a few games for the kids, though adults could play them, too.

When she felt everything was set to go, Pepper sent me off with a hug and a promise for Steve and I to head over early, before the others. When I asked why, she simply smiled and said it was a surprise.

That worried me a little. With Tony and Pepper, when it came to surprises, things could go either way. I could only hope that this one wouldn't come back and bite everyone in the butt.

* * *

The night of the party, Steve and I arrived early, as promised. When we entered the large foyer/party area at the top of the tower, my jaw dropped. I'd thought the place well-decorated when I'd left two days before; apparently, I was wrong.

In the windows were dozens of strands of lights in a rainbow of different colors and hues. Some were arranged in designs: I saw green wreaths made up of green and white lights; white and blue snowflakes; and red ribbons or bows. Garlands hung along every staircase and railing, giving off a fresh pine scent that mixed with the spice that had been there before. It was very effective in lifting my spirits and getting me excited for the night ahead.

But what really got me was one decoration in particular.

Standing to one side of the room was a large, elegantly decorated Christmas tree, with piles of gifts neatly stacked underneath it. Since all of the boxes were different sizes, and decorated in different wrapping paper, I had the distinct feeling that they weren't there just for decoration. If I was guessing correctly, the gifts were real.

"Oh, boy," I muttered, frowning a little. Why hadn't I been told that there would be gift-giving?

Steve gave me a worried look. "What's wrong?"

Still frowning, I glared at the tree. "I think the presents under the tree are real. Pepper didn't tell me there'd be a gift exchange."

I felt Steve take a step closer to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We might have enough time to go to the store, if we leave now," he suggested, looking at his watch.

"That's not necessary," Pepper said, coming to join us. "This is for all of our friends and Tony's fellow heroes." She smiled a little. "I believe it's been a while since the Maximoff twins have had a nice holiday among people who care for them."

Steve looked a little uncomfortable at the idea of getting gifts without giving one to our hosts. "So, is this why we're here early?"

"Oh!" Pepper exclaimed, "No, of course not! Tony and I thought it would be best for you to help greet the others, especially the Twins. We'd thought you'd be able to make the Vision and Cyan more comfortable, too, but they won't be here; they're on duty at the Avengers base. But the Twins are coming. I know that Wanda is a bit uneasy around crowds, but Tony learned that she's calmer with you around. Since I didn't know when she'd arrive, I thought it best if you got here first."

Oh; well, that was okay, then. Wanda did have a hard time being around crowds, and it was a good idea, having someone she liked and trusted meet her when she came in.

While we waited for the others, Steve and I inspected the long tables of food, checked that there was stuff the kids would eat, and wondered how we were going to keep them away from the presents for more than five minutes. If there's one thing kids gravitate to, it's a big stack of gifts.

Soon enough, the others started arriving. Clint, Laura and the kids arrived first, courtesy of Tony sending a cloaked Quinjet for them. As I went to give Laura a hug, she told me that their suitcases were being put in the guest room by Tony himself, via his mind-controlled Iron Man suits.

"We're staying a few days," she said excitedly. "Clint's promised to take us sightseeing around the city. He's going to wear one of those disguise masks, to keep people from recognizing him."

In her arms, Nathaniel drooled onto the bib that hung from his neck. Seeing me, he smiled and stuffed a fist into his mouth, sucking on it until his mother pulled it out, dried it, and put a pacifier in its place.

Meanwhile, the older kids said their 'hellos' to me and Steve. Lila, as always, latched onto me, and wouldn't let go until Clint pried her loose and sent her to look at the Christmas tree. Once she and Cooper realized that there were presents, some with their names on the tags, they forgot everything else. I thought it was sweet, watching them get all excited as they tried guessing what was inside each box.

"I didn't know there'd be a gift exchange, or gift giving," Laura said worriedly, as Clint took his youngest son from her. "Should we…?"

"Nope," I said, shaking my head. "Apparently all the gifts are on Tony tonight. We're just here to eat, drink, and have fun."

She relaxed a little with a sigh. "That sounds nice. I just hope I don't make things awkward or anything. I haven't been to a party in ages."

Clint leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "No one deserves to have fun as much as you do."

"Too right," I agreed as Natasha stepped off the elevator, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the baby in Clint's arms.

"There's my namesake!" she exclaimed, reaching to tickle the tyke. "Oh, my goodness, he's so big now! I forget how fast they grow."

As the Barton kids swarmed their Auntie Nat (the older ones taking special care not to ruin her elegant green dress), Sam and the Twins arrived. Sam looked thrilled to see us, as did Wanda. Sam got to us first, shaking Steve's hand and giving him a 'guy hug' with one arm before giving me a traditional one. I hugged him back, and let Steve escort him to the food area while I greeted Wanda.

"How are you?" I asked, taking her hands in mine. She wasn't much of a hugger, since it tended to trigger her telepathic powers, but she had enough control over her abilities so that she could shake or hold someone's hand.

Her fingers squeezed mine, and I reciprocated. "I'm alright," she said as Pietro gave her a worried look. "For some reason, your touch, as well as your mind, is soothing to me. I do not know why, but I am grateful for it."

"As am I," Pietro replied. He saw the surprised look on my face, and grinned. "You thought I would be jealous that my sister finds you more restful than me? Not so. I know that my gifts tend to irritate her, and I am happy that she has someone else to turn to, other than me. She needs more friends."

"So do you," she retorted to her sibling. "Perhaps it is now time for you to stop your feud with Agent Barton, since he is holding his son, whom he partially named for you."

Pietro perked up a bit and looked around, spotting Clint with the infant in his arms. The speedster immediately rushed over to take a look, and hopefully to mend fences with the former agent. In seconds, he and Clint were clasping hands and fussing over the baby, who quickly developed a liking for Pietro's white-blonde hair.

Meanwhile, Wanda sighed and shook her head. "As much as I love my brother, he is sometimes, as you Americans say, a pain in my neck."

I laughed and put my arm through hers. "Well, hopefully tonight will change that. There's lots of food, drinks, and gifts, as well as movies and music, so I think we can provide a few distractions for you and Pietro."

My amusement faded a little. "I know it's been a while since you've had loved ones to be together with. I know we can't replace your family."

Wanda's smile was a sad one. "You are trying, which I appreciate. It is your kindness that makes you unique to our group. I know that the others would not be as close as they are without you here. If not for you, they would not work nearly so well together. You are the heart and soul of the Avengers, whether you know it or not."

I blushed at her praise, and was saved from having to respond by Lila coming up to hug me around the waist. "Hi, Lila," I greeted her. "This is Wanda."

Lila gave the Sokovian redhead a curious look. "Are you an Avenger, like my daddy?" she asked.

Wanda smiled a little, though she seemed a bit uncomfortable. "Yes, I am."

"What do you do?" Lila asked. "Can you fight like Auntie Nat?"

"Wanda can move things with her mind," I said, since Wanda clearly didn't know how to answer the little girl's question.

Lila looked impressed. "Can I see?" she asked eagerly.

"Maybe later," I said, though Wanda looked a little amused. "You should go help yourself to some dessert, before your brother eats it all."

 _That_ got her to detach from my hip and run across the room, joining her brother at the dessert table. Laura caught sight of her older children, and hurried to make sure that they didn't devour everything on their own.

Beside me, Wanda chuckled. "She is a sweet girl," she whispered to me. "And her mind is free of the harsh, terrible things that many adults have. Perhaps, later, I will show her a little of my abilities."

"Just the telekinetic stuff," I warned. "Clint probably won't like you probing his little girl's brain."

She winked at me. "And here is my brother," she commented as Pietro came over with two full plates, one of which was pilled high with food.

He handed Wanda the plate that held a single helping of each item on the buffet table, as opposed to the other, which threatened to topple over any second. Wanda accepted the plate with a nod and led her brother over to a couch, where they could sit and eat peacefully. Somehow, Pietro managed to devour a quarter of his food before he got there.

Laughing a little, I went to join Steve, who was standing in a corner quietly arguing with Tony about the presents. I overheard my husband mention the cost of getting so many gifts on top of throwing such a lavish party, and hurried to put a hand on his shoulder, halting him mid-argument.

"Guys, please don't fight," I told them. "This is supposed to be a happy time of year."

Steve looked ready to argue some more, but when he noticed me glaring at him, he stayed quiet. Tony, however, looked torn between amusement and being offended. "Apparently the good Captain thinks there's something wrong about my handing out gifts and not getting any in return," my billionaire friend said, sipping at his scotch.

I held up a hand to stop Steve from saying anything he might regret later. "I think it's a wonderful thing, Steve. Besides, it'll make people happy. I don't think Wanda and Pietro have gotten gifts for a long time, and the kids are so excited, I think they're about to bounce off the walls. Tony's being generous; that's all."

With a sigh, Steve nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry, Tony. I'm just not used to such a huge, grand gesture like this."

Tony relaxed a little. "I get it. I grew up with this kind of thing, so I didn't think twice about throwing it all together. I should have remembered that you come from a different time and a different kind of life."

"Now shake hands," I ordered, looking from one to the other. "Go on."

They obeyed, the tension slowly easing as Pepper came up, a smile on her face and a rosy glow in her cheeks that matched the red dress she wore. "Oh, were you guys fighting again?" she chided them. "Adena, please tell me you got them to make up."

"Of course she did," Natasha said, coming up to join us, baby Nathaniel in her arms. "It's what she's good at."

Steve smiled and put an arm around my waist. "Very true; my girl's a natural peacemaker."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Before you two get all lovey-dovey, go get something to eat. When everyone's full, we'll start with the presents." He looked over at Natasha. "Meanwhile, I'd like a look at Barton's new addition."

I laughed and pressed a kiss to Steve's cheek. "We should eat, before Pietro devours everything in sight."

He led me to the table that held the appetizers, and we both helped ourselves. Steve polished off his meal in record time, and got himself a second plate before I finished my first. After I finished my second round at the buffet, I was too full for dessert, so the two of us walked around the room, chatting and joking with our friends as holiday music played. Luckily, it was strictly instrumental music, so no one was doing any drunken singing.

During our rounds, I greeted Lt. Rhodes, who was dapper in a dark grey suit and chatting away with Sam. It was fun, listening to them compare their suits, and which one was better for flying in. Then Tony joined the conversation, and I decided to let them talk tech while I went to join Laura and Clint.

The two Barton adults had their hands full with three kids to look after. Nathaniel was the easiest, because he was being handed around to whichever adult wanted to hold and fuss over him. Natasha was the primary source of that attention, with Pepper being a close second.

After watching Pepper hold Nathaniel for a few minutes, I cast a quick look at her boyfriend, and could see that Tony was busy calculating every way possible to prevent any little Starks in the near future. Tony was enough of a handful on his own; I doubted that Pepper would be able to handle any kid that he might produce.

Wanda and Pietro were surprisingly comfortable, eating, chatting, and having a good time. They were unfamiliar with American holidays, but I had the feeling that they might be adopting this one in the future.

Finally, Pepper announced that it was time for presents, which _really_ excited everyone, not just the kids. I had to grin as Pietro seemed to vibrate with his excitement, and Wanda's hands twitched towards the boxes, as though she wanted to dive into the heap and find the gifts meant for her.

In a chaotic commotion, chairs were gathered and placed around the tree, though a few members of the group chose to stand or sit on the floor. Pepper and Tony took spots standing close to the gift pile, but it was clear that it would be Pepper who would be distributing the presents while Tony watched.

"Kids first," Pepper insisted, going behind the tree and pulling out a huge box. "This is for Cooper."

Seated beside me, Clint and Laura looked worried as their son raced to open it, pulling apart the paper and flinging open the side panels of the box before diving inside and pulling out a green mountain bike.

"Dad, it's just what I wanted!" Cooper cried, jumping onto the bike and testing its brakes. "Now we can go riding through the woods near the house!"

Both the adult Bartons looked relieved –probably because Tony hadn't gotten the boy a life-size robot or something equally huge and expensive. Clint smiled and went to help pull the bike away from the tree, so that Pepper had some more space.

"A bike?" Laura whispered. "We were thinking of getting one for him, but they're just so expensive! And how did they know to get him one?"

I shrugged. "Most boys want a cool bike, and want to take off and have adventures with his dad, don't they?"

By then, Lila had torn into a large box that had a fantastic art kit, complete with dozens of colored pencils, paints and brushes, and crayons. There were also several pads of art paper in different sizes, and a few canvas aprons, to keep her from getting the supplies on her clothes. Tony had obviously seen how much Lila loved drawing when he'd been at the farm.

"Look, look what I got!" Lila cried, jumping up and down as she showed her parents and brother.

For Nathaniel, there was a stack of new clothes, a few teething items, and several stuffed animals. One of them, a teddy bear, quickly found its way into the baby's grasp, its left ear stuffed into a drooling, smiling mouth. Clearly, it was already a favorite.

There were also new clothes for Cooper and Lila, as well as a new handheld video game console for Cooper and two lovely dolls for Lila. The two kids quickly tucked themselves away in a corner to play with their new stuff as the adults waited their turn.

Clint and Laura got clothes as well, but Tony's big gift to them was a new tractor for the farm. "I didn't get to fix the old one while I was visiting, so I decided to spare you guys some aches and pains later. I'll bring it myself, using a cloaked Quinjet, to keep Clint's secret safe."

Wanda and Pietro came next, the two looking on excitedly as Pepper handed both of them several large gift bags.

The blonde speedster got five pairs of unique shoes, designed by Tony and created by his company. The one down side of Pietro's speed was that he wore out clothes and shoes at an alarming rate, so he and Wanda spent most of their money replacing whatever Pietro had worn out.

"The shoes and clothing that I've developed will stand up to intense heat and friction," Tony explained as Pietro put on a pair of grey sneakers. "If you need any other colors, let me know and I'll have them ready for you in a week."

Besides new clothing and some jewelry, Wanda received something that puzzled us all: a strip of metal that resembled a headband or a collar necklace, with blue lights at the ends. "What is it?" she asked, obviously wondering if she should appear grateful or not.

"It's a temporary solution to your mind powers," Tony explained. "Took me longer to put together without Banner around, but I managed. Anyway, when you turn it on, it creates a sort of energy field that acts as a barrier between your mind and other people. As long as it's on, you can't hear their thoughts."

Tony smiled at Wanda's incredulous expression. "It's sort of fashionable, too. Just wear it like a necklace. The battery lasts around five hours per charge, but I'm working on one that lasts longer."

I don't think I'd ever seen Wanda look so astonished and incredibly happy. The rest of the group watched breathlessly as she put the device around her neck and pressed a button. In an instant, she looked relieved, as though a huge weight had been pulled from her shoulders.

"It works," she breathed, smiling blissfully. "I can hear only my thoughts, no one else's!"

"It shouldn't interfere with your telekinetic abilities, but I'm not really sure," Tony apologized. "You can test that out downstairs, in the training room."

Wanda nodded and leaned against her brother, who gave her a hug. I turned away from the touching scene, afraid I'd start crying, and instead watched Pepper hand Steve a box. He was puzzled, of course, but Pepper pushed him towards me, which got my attention.

Steve carefully tore through the paper, but when it was fully removed, there was another layer of wrapping paper, along with another tag. "It's for you," he said, handing me the box.

Wondering what sort of strange game Tony was playing, I took the box, unwrapped it, and stared at the leather jewelry box that lay there. The trademark logo of a very prestigious jewelry maker was embossed in the leather, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was actually a gift for Pepper that had gotten mislabeled.

"Open it," Tony insisted as Steve leaned in to see what was inside. I took a deep breath and lifted the lid, gasping at what lay on the fine blue velvet.

It was a breathtaking necklace of platinum and diamonds. Each small diamond was set in a platinum circle, which connected to another set diamond by a delicate platinum link. The pattern continued all the way around, ending with a small clasp.

"Oh, my God," I whispered, lifting the necklace out. "It's beautiful!"

Then I realized how much something like this had to cost. "I can't accept this. It's worth a fortune! You shouldn't have done this." I wasn't sure if I needed to direct my comments to Tony or Steve, but since it appeared to be a joint venture, I looked pointedly at the two of them.

The tech billionaire shrugged. "Actually, it was your husband's choice. He saw it in a store window after one of our missions, and from the look on his face, I knew he wanted it for you." Tony smirked and swirled his glass. "Poor guy didn't have the guts to get it for you, so I had them put it on hold until I could pick it up on the sly. I figured that this would be the best time to deliver it to its rightful owner."

"But it's too _expensive_!" I protested, looking at the gems glimmering in the lights of the windows and the tree.

Steve, who had been staring at me for the past few minutes, reached out, took the necklace from my fingers and undid the clasp so that he could move around and drape it around my neck. I felt the cool metal along my throat, and the chain go slack as Steve finished putting it on me. Turning my head, I tried to argue, but Steve simply leaned down and kissed me, effectively silencing everything I wanted to say.

When he pulled away, he looked lovingly into my eyes and whispered, "You're worth it, and so much more."

I felt myself melting a little as those blue eyes stared at me, and as he took a seat beside me, I snuggled against his shoulder. I guess could let him win this round.

* * *

Steve and I sat cuddled together as the rest of the presents were distributed, and everyone got something they either wanted, or could seriously use.

Natasha, Sam and Rhodes all got some new tech weaponry, which would be delivered to the new Avengers headquarters in the morning. All three fully intended to start practicing with their new guns, grenades, and other deadly items as soon as they felt sober enough to handle them (which, from the looks of things, might be in a couple days).

Pepper found herself showered with several expensive gifts, courtesy of her boyfriend: a new designer gown, some jewelry, and the promise of a romantic getaway for just the two of them, just to name a few. Steve liked the idea of a romantic vacation, and we traded a few ideas for where to go, possibly for New Year's Eve.

Meanwhile, the Barton family had retreated downstairs with their new gifts, Lila asleep in her father's arms, and Nathaniel in his mom's. I was able to give both sleeping kids a kiss on the cheek, and since Steve and I had decided to stay at the Tower tonight, I promised Laura that we'd see the whole family in the morning, so that the seven of us could go sightseeing together.

As the remaining adults continued to eat, drink, and hang out, I made a quick dash to the bathroom, leaving Steve with Sam, Rhodes and Tony to talk Avengers business.

I was closing the door to the bathroom when I noticed something moving in the corner. It looked like an insect, but it didn't seem to move like one. I grabbed a tissue to squash it, or pick it up, but the insect suddenly exploded outward, changing size in the blink of an eye. I yelped and almost fell over, astounded to see a man there, dressed in a red and grey suit, complete with helmet.

"Uh, hi," he said, his voice echoing slightly because of his helmet. He also waved as his helmet opened so that I could see his face.

Letting out a breath, I sagged in relief. "Don't do that! You scared the hell out of me!"

He gave me a small smile. "Sorry. I just wanted a minute of your time before you went back to the party."

I eyed him closely. "How did _you_ know about the party?"

He shrugged. "Finding out information is what my friends and I do."

"And you are…?" I trailed off, hinting that he needed to introduce himself, even though I felt I knew who he was already.

"Scott," he replied, "Though I'd assumed that the Falcon told you about me. You must be Adena Rogers."

"That's right," I replied. "Sam said that you go by the name 'Ant Man?' It suits you."

He grinned and looked down at his gear. "Nice pun. I think I like you."

For some reason, I found myself liking him, too. Maybe it was because he seemed to have the same sense of humor that Tony had? Or it could be that his crooked smile was so catching that I had to relax and smile in return.

"So why are you here, Scott?" I asked. "Besides party-crashing, I mean."

Scott sighed. "I heard that the Falcon was looking for me. I was thinking about introducing myself to him, but I was afraid that the whole Avengers team might show up and try to arrest me or something."

He gave me another crooked smile. "So, I thought I'd pop over and see if I couldn't talk to you. Word is that you're the stable one in the group, and you've got the ear of all the Avengers."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," I told him. "I've done a little research into you, Mr. Lang, and into the guy I think has been helping you. I don't think you're bad people, but it's going to take quite a bit to get my husband and our friends to trust you."

He raised his hands. "Hey, I'm all about trust and stuff. I've turned my life around, and I'm willing to help the good guys out. Can you at least tell them that for me?"

I thought about it for a minute. "I think I can do that. But Falcon said you needed some tech from the base. What did you need it for?"

"Too long a story, at least for the quick trip to the bathroom you had in mind," Scott said with an apologetic look. "But I'll tell you what. We set up an appointment somewhere, you bring that captain-husband of yours, and I'll explain myself."

He paused. "After Christmas, of course. I'm spending it with my daughter, and she'll hate me forever if I miss it." He looked a little sad. "I've missed so much already."

Poor guy; I couldn't help but feel for him and his little girl. "Okay, after the holidays. I'll give you a number to call, and we'll arrange it. Okay?"

He memorized the number I gave him, and did his shrinking trick while I watched in amazement. Once I was sure he was gone, I used the facilities and went to rejoin my friends. By then, Steve was waiting for me.

"You were gone a while," he complained. "Are you okay?"

"Fine!" I chimed, smiling brightly. "Just a bathroom trip, don't worry."

As we settled back into the party, I decided to hold off telling him about my encounter with Scott for a few days. Once the Barton family was gone, I'd spill the news and see how he and Sam took it.

But right now, I wanted to enjoy myself. Watching Sam, Rhodes and Tony do some drunken dance steps to holiday music is always fun.

* * *

AN: I took a few things from _The Flash_ TV series and applied it to Pietro, since they have the same superpowers. I figured it sort of fit, and made sense. I also got the mind-shield device for Wanda from the _Supergirl_ TV series.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I'll post another short story when I can. Please review?


	3. At Home for the Holidays

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing associated with _**Marvel, Captain America, the Avengers, etc**_. Only original characters and ideas are mine.

AN: Here's another holiday chapter, mostly focusing on Steve and Adena. Enjoy, and have a safe, happy holiday season.

 **At Home for the Holidays :**

"A little to the left," I said, motioning with my hand. "Nope; a little more."

Steve sighed, but obliged. I told him to move the stocking an inch over, and smiled when he got it to the right place. "Perfect. Thanks, love."

After a quick exchange of kisses, I went back to decorating our tree. We had actually finished it two weeks ago, but a box had arrived from my parents this morning, containing some very lovely ornaments, and I was now looking for the best places to hang them.

"I'm still not sure if I like the ones your folks sent us," Steve commented, watching me closely.

I laughed and hung a shiny miniature Captain America shield on the tree. "In my dad's family, no tree is complete without at least one Captain America ornament. It comes from my grandma telling us stories about you when we were growing up."

Looking over at him, I grinned. "Besides, if she hadn't told us those stories and sent ornaments to remind me of them, I wouldn't have admired you so much. And if I hadn't admired and respected you so much, you and I might not have gotten along so well. Then who knows what might have happened? You might even have hated having me around and asked Fury to send me home after a week."

The frown that had started forming on Steve's face vanished, and a soft, loving smile took its place as he came to put his arms around my waist. "Okay, you're right. But let's not go overboard, okay? Captain America does _not_ need a Captain America Christmas tree."

He looked thoughtful. "Though, it wouldn't surprise me if Tony has an Iron Man-themed Christmas tree in his house."

That was so very Tony Stark that I had to laugh. "He probably does, and hides it from Pepper. I don't think even she could stand his vanity _that_ much!"

We both broke out laughing as I continued hanging the new bulbs. Luckily, Dad had only sent us three: the first was the Captain America shield I'd just hung; the second was a crystal ornament shaped like a star.

But the third one was the best. It was a photo of Steve and I from our wedding, Steve in his tuxedo, standing behind me in my wedding gown, with his arms wrapped around my waist as we both faced the camera. We both looked so happy, I could swear that we glowed. I'd emailed a copy of that photo to my parents years ago; as a gift, Dad had apparently decided to have it set in a Captain America shield picture frame the size of my fist.

"It's so cute!" I cooed, trying to find a strong enough branch for it.

In the end, I decided to tuck it away for safekeeping, so that I could turn it into a functional picture frame later. ' _It really would look nice on one of the side tables_.'

"There is an incoming call from your parents, Miss," Sunny suddenly chimed. "Shall I put them on the computer, or the television?"

I thought about it, and decided on the computer. That way, if things went south, I could end the conversation and claim bad internet connections.

Steve and I took seats at the computer desk and activated the video chat. Up popped my parents' faces, as well as my brother, who all waved and smiled when they saw us. We exchanged the usual greetings and "happy holidays," and polite chatter that all families do when talking across great distances. Finally, I thanked my father for his thoughtful gift, and told him how much I appreciated the one featuring our wedding photo.

"Sorry I didn't get it to you guys earlier," Dad apologized. "I wanted to make it a wedding gift, but I know how you guys wanted to keep life normal, so I chose to wait."

' _You mean, now that the whole world now knew Steve's married, and who he's married to, it isn't worth hiding our relationship anymore_ ,' I thought, keeping a smile on my face.

"I really wish you'd come visit us, sweetheart," Mom said, smiling at me. "We miss you."

"And I miss you guys," I replied, "But after Sokovia, we need to lay low for a while. As soon as things settle down, the two of us will come out for a visit."

"Speaking of Sokovia," Dad said, giving me a pointed look. "Please tell me you weren't involved in that. Tell me you weren't anywhere near that country when all of that happened."

I felt Steve put an arm around me while he took my hand with the other. Even though Sokovia had happened months ago, I hadn't told my parents any of the details. The only news they'd gotten were vague emails, saying that I was fine, and that they didn't have to worry. Now that we were talking face-to-face, they wanted to know everything.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Dad. They needed help, and I gave it. That's all there is to it."

I could see my parents' faces shift into angry mode, and squeezed Steve's hand, signaling that we needed to end this before a tidal wave of arguments started. He understood, and quickly reached to tap the keyboard.

Before he hit the key to end the call, I said, "I love you, guys. Steve and I sent some gifts, and we hope you enjoy them."

Then the screen went black, cutting off whatever lectures my parents hoped to give.

Sighing, I picked up Sunny and instructed him not to answer my parents' calls for the next few days. I needed them to calm down before talking to them again, since the last thing I wanted was a long lecture for involving myself in Avenger business. However, I did tell Sunny to send a loving message to my brother, and to wish him a happy holiday.

A minute later, I got a reply from Marcus, reciprocating my holiday wishes, and assuring us that he didn't blame us in the least for hanging up on my parents. He proceeded to remind me that I'd always be considered their 'little girl,' and that they hated the idea of me putting myself in danger, which is why they were upset.

 _Don't let them get to you, Sis. They mean well, and they_ _ **are**_ _our parents. Try them again after the New Year. I'm sure that things will have calmed down by then._

"They'll come around," Steve whispered after reading my brother's response. He then pressed a kiss to my lips before helping me to my feet. "They just want to protect you."

I knew that, but it still didn't make me feel any better. "I'll follow Marcus's advice and give them a few days to cool down. Meanwhile, you and I need to get to the store for a few things." I looked at him closely. "Don't forget your baseball cap. It'll keep most people from recognizing you."

* * *

I wasn't surprised that the grocery store was packed. Given that it was Christmas Eve, that was a given. It wasn't a madhouse, but it came close.

After Steve and I had managed to weave our way to the produce aisle, I reminded Steve that we needed more potatoes, and told him to load a bushel into the cart. A few shoppers paused, doing a double-take when they saw Steve picking up a 5-lb. bag of potatoes and put it in the cart like it was a bag of air.

"Did you see that?" one woman asked her husband, who looked a bit jealous of his wife's admiration of my spouse.

I didn't hear the man's reply, but their son's face lit up when he recognized who they were talking about. The ten-year-old pulled away from his parents and ran up to Steve, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket to get his attention.

"Excuse me," the boy said, his voice squeaking a little in excitement, "Are you Captain America?"

Steve smiled and tilted his hat a little, so that the boy could see him a bit better, but hide his face from the rest of the store. "You're a smart kid. What's your name?"

"Tom, but my friends call me Tommy," he said, grinning broadly. "Can I have your autograph?"

I pulled a pen and paper from my purse and handed it to Steve, who took the time to write a short note before signing it at the bottom. By then, the parents had wandered over to see what their son was doing. That was when the father realized who Steve was, and begged for some photos. Steve was willing to take a couple pictures with Tommy, and shook hands with the father, wishing the family a happy holiday before we parted ways.

"You're so good with kids," I whispered as I took his arm, causing him to blush a little.

"Thanks," he murmured. "So are you, remember?"

I squeezed his arm a little and leaned against his shoulder as we made for the checkout lanes. "Don't get any ideas," I softly replied. "Besides, we've got a big dinner to cook."

Steve chuckled and began unloading the cart, winking at me as I went to talk with the sales clerk.

* * *

As soon as we got home, Steve and I tackled the chore of cooking together. While our roast cooked in the oven, we both cleaned and prepared the potatoes and veggies, trying to get things ready for when our guest arrived. I was never so glad that Steve was good with sharp objects, and could do things a lot faster than the average person.

Two hours later, our first attempt at a holiday dinner with a guest turned out rather well. Cooking for Steve was hard, given his metabolism -I always had to make enough to feed four or five people, even though it was just the two of us. Adding another two servings to the meal wasn't too big a deal; I just needed to adjust the timing and the amounts of ingredients, so it all came out fine.

As the last dish hit the table, a knock sounded on the door. I rushed to answer, and was greeted with a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. Laughing, I hugged and kissed him back as Steve came up to take the bottle of wine that accompanied our dinner guest.

"Hey, now," my husband chided us. "You keep kissing my wife like that, and I'll start getting jealous."

Sam laughed and came inside to hug his friend, who returned the gesture. "No need for that," Sam insisted. "Adena is completely yours, Cap."

The three of us sat at the table, and Steve began carving into the roast, still steaming from the oven. Sam helped himself to everything with a smile, and promptly began digging in. Steve wasn't far behind, while I paced myself. The way those two attacked the platters, there probably wouldn't be a lot of leftovers.

After we stuffed ourselves, Sam helped clear the table, and the three of us flopped down in the living room, sipping after dinner cocktails as we watched a holiday movie. When the film ended, Sam claimed that he'd forgotten something in his car, and raced out to get it –only to return with a few gifts.

"We said no presents!" I protested as he handed boxes to me and Steve.

Steve nudged me in the side. "Although, we did get you something, too, Sam," he said as he gave me a pointed look.

"Okay, I'm a hypocrite," I admitted with a sigh. "But I like giving gifts more than I like getting them."

I touched the diamond necklace that rested around my neck. "Besides, the party at Tony and Pepper's place was more than enough."

"Which is why everyone has to give you things on the sly," Sam said with a grin. "Now, be a good girl and open your gift."

Since he had given me a small box, I was immediately suspicious. They say that great things come in small packages, so I was very hesitant to open the one in my hands. Still, I didn't want to hurt Sam's feelings, so I tore through the shimmering red paper, revealing another jewelry box.

"Again?" I said, exasperated. "Steve already got me something that's both beautiful and expensive."

"Just open it, Dee," Sam ordered, rolling his eyes at me. "Come on; it took me forever to pick it out for you."

I lifted the top of the square box and made a sound that was part laughter, part surprised squeak. Inside was a charm bracelet, with round charms slid onto a silver cable and ending in a lobster clasp. The bracelet was packed with charms in various colors, designs and symbols.

"Each charm represents an Avenger," Sam explained. "It seems to be a big business, selling stuff with the Avengers on it, but since I figured you wouldn't want dolls or anything like that, I thought this would be better."

As I looked at each charm, I realized he was right. There was a red-and-gold charm with a small outline of Tony's Iron Man mask etched on it in silver. Next was a green glass charm, clearly representing the Hulk, followed by a silver-and-red charm with a hammer for Thor. The Captain America charm was the patriotic red-white-and-blue, complete with a silver star, and a black glass charm with a red hourglass-type shape represented Natasha's alter ego, the Black Widow. There was a second black bead, only this one had a silver arrow dangling from it, to represent Hawkeye.

"What are these other ones?" I asked, pointing at them. "I recognize most of them, but not these."

Sam leaned closer. "Those are for the new team members. The red glass one is for Wanda, and the silver-blue is for Pietro. War Machine is the silver one, and the one with the pair of wings dangling from it is me."

He grinned. "And clearly, the purple one is the Vision, and the bright blue is Cyan."

I rolled my eyes. "You guys are never going to forgive me for naming him after a shade of blue, are you? It was the only thing I could think of at the time, and he was willing to accept it!"

Sam held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I agree with you. As long as he doesn't mind, why should we?" He smiled. "Now why don't we let the good Captain open his gift?"

Looking excited, Steve tore through the wrapping paper and opened the lid. "Wow," he breathed, lifting out a light brown leather jacket that almost matched his hair. "This is fantastic! Thanks, Sam!"

The two clasped hands and shook, smiling broadly as I reached behind the couch and retrieved Sam's gifts from us. "Now we get to return the favor," I teased, handing them over.

Sam laughed when he opened the boxes to reveal a bottle of whiskey and a tablet. "I better be sure not to drink and surf the web at the same time," he joked, holding both items in his hands. "That could be dangerous."

I burst out laughing, imagining Sam drunk e-mailing or texting someone on his tablet with one hand, and the whiskey bottle in the other.

When I calmed down to a snicker, I reached behind the couch and pulled out the gift I'd bought Steve. If he was going to spoil me, I was going to do the same with him.

My husband accepted the present with a smile and a kiss before tearing into the paper. Inside the box was a stainless steel men's watch with a crystal cover, and gold painted numbers edged in black. I'd seen Steve admiring it weeks ago, when we'd been shopping for Sam, and purchased it when he'd been out on a mission. It was the one time I was glad for those Avenger globe-hopping trips.

"Adena," he said, taking the watch out of the box, "You didn't have to do this."

"Of course I did," I insisted, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "What else are adoring wives for?"

Steve kissed me back and let me put the watch on his left wrist. "It fits perfectly," he commented, looking at it closely. "And it looks much more durable than my old one."

With all the presents opened, and the guys showing signs of being hungry again, I went and retrieved the plate of cookies that I'd been hiding on a shelf in the kitchen.

"I didn't want you to finish the whole plate before Sam arrived," I explained to the pouting face of my husband as he reached for a cookie. "Baking a whole other batch on short notice is not something anyone likes to do."

We all sat and watched another movie, and when it ended, I decided that I needed to spill the beans about my encounter with Scott Lang during Tony's party. After all, I had promised Scott that he could have a talk with Steve, and tricking my husband into a meeting was a very bad idea.

"So, I ran into Scott Lang at Tony's party," I chimed in, sipping my cocoa as the two men turned to look at me. "He seems to be a nice guy."

"What do you mean you met him?" Same demanded, as Steve simultaneously asked, "When? How did he get inside the Tower?"

"The guy has shrinking technology, Cap," Sam reminded him. "Not sure how he found out about Tony's party, but with his shrinking tech, I doubt it was a problem for him to slip in without getting caught."

Steve did _not_ look happy. "I'd have thought that Stark Tower would be one of the safest places in the world," he grumbled, taking a sip from his coffee. "All of that technology has to be good for _something_!"

' _Oh, boy_ ,' I thought with a wince. ' _I'm guessing that this is one of those times where he wishes that he could have a drink, and that alcohol still worked on him_.'

Sighing, I put a hand on Steve's shoulder. "The point is, Scott cornered me and very politely asked if he could meet with the two of you. He met Sam when he broke into the Avengers base for the tech he wanted, but since Steve's the leader of the team, Scott wanted to meet you, too, before meeting with the other Avengers."

At this point, Steve looked really upset. "He cornered you? Where?"

I cleared my throat. "In the bathroom," I muttered uncomfortably.

Now it was Sam's turn to be angry. "He cornered you in the _bathroom_? That's it; next time I see him, I'm putting my fist in his face."

"You'll have to get in line," Steve growled, clenching a fist of his own. "I get first dibs."

"Okay, none of that," I said, exasperated. "Scott popped into his normal size after I'd gone in and closed the door, so he didn't see anything."

Reaching out, I put my hand on Steve's clenched fist, stroking his knuckles with my thumb to try and calm him down. "The point is he wants to meet. Even though I only talked to him for about five minutes, I have a good feeling about him. Scott seems like a nice guy, and I wouldn't mind him becoming an Avenger. If you guys like him, and if he asks, I think you should let him onto the team."

Both men looked ready to argue with me, but thought better of it when I glared at them.

While they sat there looking annoyed, I got up and went to the kitchen, taking the half-empty cookie tray with me. As I put away the leftover sweets and began loading the dishwasher, I heard the guys softly discussing the matter. Part of me wanted in on the conversation, but they already knew my opinion.

After I finished with the dishes and cleaned up a bit, I rejoined the others in the living room. Sam looked a bit more relaxed and cheerful, but Steve still looked a bit angry.

"You know why he's mad, right?" Sam asked, smiling a little in amusement. "The whole caught-in-the-bathroom thing's got him riled up."

"I can't promise that I won't punch him for doing that, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt," Steve grudgingly told me.

"He's not a pervert or anything," I snapped. "Scott's a nice guy, and he seems to be a good father, which says a lot about him."

Both Sam and Steve sat up. "He's got a kid?" Sam asked.

I shrugged. "He told me to hold off arranging a meeting because he wanted to spend more time with his daughter. If that isn't a mark of a good dad, I don't know what is."

At last, Steve seemed to soften a bit. "Fine, you can arrange a meeting."

Giving a small squeal of joy, I went and kissed him on the cheek. "Great! I'll let him know when he calls me. Now, should we watch another movie, or do you want to sing carols?"

I was joking about the caroling, but to make sure none of that happened, Sam insisted that we go driving to look at Christmas lights. I ran to pack up some cookies into a Tupperware container and hot cocoa into a thermos. After bundling up, the three of us headed out into the night.

I spent the rest of the evening snuggled close to Steve's side as Sam drove us through several nearby neighborhoods, looking at lights and listening to holiday songs on the radio. It was a perfect, peaceful way to end a chaotic day.

* * *

AN: That's the last holiday special story. Next will be New Year's, and then I'll take a nice long break before posting the next one –unless a plotline sneaks up on me.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a great holiday. I'll see you all in the New Year!


	4. New Year's Eve Celebrations

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing associated with _**Marvel, Captain America, the Avengers, etc**_. Only original characters and ideas are mine.

AN: Happy New Year!

I couldn't resist writing a chapter in regards to the start of the new year for Steve and Adena. It's a slightly shorter chapter this time around, though. Also, there are at least a couple other short stories/chapters in the near future: Ant Man, of course, and a Valentine's Day story, for sure. Possibly a few others, depending on what pops into my head.

In the meantime, I'm going to start a little on my version of _Civil War_ , but I doubt I'll get much done, since I clearly haven't seen the movie. I won't post anything for that storyline until at least a few weeks after the film comes out, so I'm afraid everyone is in for a _long_ wait.

See you at the next story/chapter!

 **New Year's Eve Celebrations** :

Snuggling against Steve's side, I sipped my glass of champagne and watched the jazz band in the corner, playing away.

"They're very good," Steve commented as he drank from his own glass. I could feel his foot tapping away in time to the music.

I smirked. ' _You'd never guess that just an hour ago, he'd been complaining about Tony throwing another party so soon after his last one_.'

Even I had to agree that it was a bit much, but then, this was Tony Stark –he _loved_ having parties. Though, I have to admit, I liked attending them, especially when the guest list consisted of Avengers.

' _I'm just sorry that Bruce isn't here_ ,' I thought, feeling a bit sad. Natasha had put on a good face about missing him, but she wasn't the only one. I missed the sweet Doctor, and very much wished that he'd come back from wherever he'd taken off to.

Clint and his family hadn't made it, either. Apparently, it was a special New Year, so he decided to stay home. It had taken me a minute to realize that this was baby Nathaniel's first New Year's Eve; of course Clint and Laura wanted to spend it at home with the kids.

With the exception of Bruce, Clint, and Thor, the other Avengers were here. Even Vision and Cyan were in attendance, moving around the room and talking with everyone who came into their path.

"Tony's been talking about the whole Christmas and New Year's concept with them," Pepper had whispered to me at the refreshment tables. "They can read and research all they want, but when it comes to fully understanding human beliefs, traditions, and customs, they're still learning. Tony tries, but you know that he's not the foremost authority on that kind of thing."

I wasn't exactly sure that Tony was the right type of person to explain the whole meaning-of-Christmas thing to a pair of androids, but decided to keep my mouth shut. If Vision and Cyan decided that they wanted another opinion, all they had to do was ask.

Sipping my champagne, I tapped my foot along with the band and applauded when they finished their number. They announced that the next song was one to dance to, and I had to laugh as Pietro dragged Wanda to the dance floor, followed closely by Tony and Pepper pulling along a protesting Natasha. Sam and Rhodes joined them, while Steve flat-out refused to set foot on the floor.

"I don't dance," he stated, not moving an inch when Sam tried to persuade him.

Instead, we stood together in the soft lighting being produced by little fairy lights dangling in the windows. All of the Christmas decorations were gone, and the décor was simpler, but the mood was still upbeat, like the band's music.

"I'm starved," I said aloud, realizing that I hadn't taken anything from the food tables. The band had struck up just as we'd arrived there, and Steve and I had immediately gotten distracted by Pepper, who had come to greet us and urge us to tell her about our Christmas.

* * *

Even though ours had been quiet and uneventful, Pepper's had been the opposite. "We had to get back to California to fight off a competitor for a business we're interested in," she said. "Nothing says 'happy holidays' like talking with lawyers, organizing business agreements and making offers. But Tony promised to make it up to me after New Year's."

After our chat, Steve and I had started making our way to the buffet but were met by Natasha, who came to give me a hug and kiss on the cheek. "Remind me to spend Christmas with you guys next year," she said. "Sam told me you guys had the whole perfect gathering: food, gifts, cookies, and looking at lights."

I rolled my eyes. "Hey, I heard about your trip to the tropics. Judging by your tan, I'd say you had a pretty good time."

She smirked and gave a small shrug. "Well, there's only so much sun, sand, and surf a girl can take before she gets homesick and misses her friends."

I gave her another hug. "Well, at least you get to spend New Year's with us. Though if you try and snag a kiss from Steve, you're seriously going to regret it."

Natasha held up her hands in mock surrender. "Wouldn't dream of it." Her smirk turned into a grin. "Besides, did you not notice the ratio of men to women? Since Cap here will be monopolizing your time, that'll just leave more for me to choose from."

"Nat!" I cried, the two of us bursting into giggles as Steve rolled his eyes. "Try not to break too many hearts tonight, okay? We're going to need them for their Avenging duties later."

With a farewell wink, Natasha took herself off to flirt with Sam, who ate it up without taking it seriously. He knew her well enough to know that she still cared about Bruce, even though the brilliant scientist wasn't present.

* * *

Now that things had settled and everyone was here, Steve and I were able to snag something to eat and sip drinks as the night wore on. We mingled, of course, since it would have been rude not to, and had fun listening to what everyone else had done during their Christmases.

Wanda and Pietro had stayed in, like we had, exchanging gifts and eating a great deal. "It is our first Christmas in years where we had enough to eat, and weren't being experimented on by HYDRA," Pietro said, putting an arm around his sister. "And we actually had money to buy gifts for each other."

Wanda fingered the neckpiece that Tony had made for her, the glowing lights indicating that it was on. "Not that we spent anything on one another. We're saving up to visit Sokovia in the spring, to see if there's anything we can help with."

Steve reminded them that they had access to all of the Avengers' planes, but Wanda shook her head. "No, we want to go as volunteers and fellow Sokovians, not Avengers. Besides, I do not think that they would welcome us if we did."

Vision and Cyan were next on our trip around the room, the two androids showing immense curiosity about us, and our feelings towards the holidays, including New Year's. Most people would have become annoying after a few questions, but it was actually rather pleasant talking to them. Neither Vision nor Cyan interrupted us when we spoke, and both were able to organize their questions rather well. They even got us back on track whenever Steve or I went off topic and couldn't remember where we'd left off.

"That might be due to their programming," Tony explained when we got the chance to talk to him. "Their brains aren't like ours. Remember, they used to be computers, with a far more advanced memory and level of intelligence than the average human. So they're able to remember exactly what you were talking about and when. It's both helpful and annoying, especially if you're trying to divert their attention."

Even though they were technically machines, Vision and Cyan remained very polite and attentive, without being cold. I wasn't sure if they experienced emotions the same way humans did, but they seemed to be doing quite well in picking them up as they advanced through their new form of life.

Cyan in particular seemed sensitive to emotions, particularly mine. When he saw that I was getting tired or bored with a topic, he changed it to another one. He even retrieved a glass of sparkling cider for me when I was starting to feel thirsty, though how he knew I needed it was puzzling. Since Cyan and I hadn't spent much time together after the formation of the new Avengers team, when it came to getting to know me, he hadn't had much to go on. He might have been JT in a past life, but things were much different now.

Finally, I asked him how he was able to figure out what I was thinking or feeling, or that I needed something. His answer very much surprised me.

"I watched, listened, and assisted you for a long time, Adena," he softly told me in his rich voice. "Through the camera in my previous form, I was able to observe you whenever you commented you were thirsty or hungry. Whenever you asked me to locate a place you needed, such as a restaurant or store, I memorized your voice patterns and tones as you made your request."

He lifted a hand and tapped his head. "In this new body, my memories of you remain intact, and I am better able to discern sounds, and observe your facial expressions. Thus, I can easily deduce your present moods and needs."

Unsure about what to say, I decided to be blunt. "That's kind of sweet, but also very creepy."

Cyan actually smiled. "But it is the truth. In the past, my sole purpose was to help you. I intend to continue performing that duty. I may be an Avenger now, but I will do everything possible to keep you safe."

Steve seemed pleased with that, but I really didn't need another bodyguard. I already had Steve, Sam, Natasha, and even Nick Fury and Phil Coulson doing that. I didn't need an android taking up that particular role.

"Dee!" Sam said, coming to wrap an arm around my shoulders. "You know what? I could use a dance partner for the next number. And since Cap here doesn't dance…"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Yes, you can dance with her. Just bring her back in one piece."

Sam grinned. "No promises. I'm a lean, mean, dancing machine."

That was when the band struck up a dance number, and I found myself dragged to the floor by my eager friend.

It took a few seconds, but I had to admit, Sam really was a great dancer who somehow turned me into a fairly decent one. I had a fantastic time, but after a while, I was grateful when the band went on a break, allowing me to catch my breath and get back to my husband, who was looking a little lonely as he stood waiting for me by the windows.

Feeling guilty about leaving him for so long, I put my arms around his waist as he returned the gesture. "That's twenty minutes I'll never get back," he muttered. "Shame on you for having fun without me."

I chuckled. "Well, you said you weren't a dancer, and Sam insisted." I grinned. "Besides, I'm sure you saw plenty of me making a fool of myself out there."

He sighed. "If you had, it would have made me feel a little bit better. But I thought you looked good, and you did seem to be having a good time."

"I did," I admitted as a soft song began playing over the sound system, courtesy of Friday and Tony's personal play list. "Oh, this is a good song to slow dance to."

Steve picked up on my hint and led me to the dance floor, where Tony and Pepper, Sam and Natasha, and Rhodes and Wanda (of all people) were paired and slowly swaying to the music.

As Steve pulled me close, his arms wrapping around my waist and mine around his neck, I lay my head on his chest and sighed in happiness. The steady beat of his heart and the warmth of his body was bliss.

"It's been ages since we've danced," Steve whispered into my ear.

"Hmm," I murmured, breathing in the mild spice of his aftershave. He only wore it for special occasions, and I was glad he was wearing it tonight.

The slow song was followed by another, and when I opened my eyes for a quick peek, I saw the other dancers change partners. This included Pepper, who liked being a considerate hostess, and insisted on dancing with those who hadn't had a partner the first time.

Always glad of an attractive female dance partner, Pietro was more than willing to take her off of Tony's hands. Tony, however, wasn't so thrilled, but he didn't argue.

Steve and I were the only ones who didn't change partners, which I was very thankful for, since I was very comfortable where I was. I could tell that Steve felt the same way by how his thumb was stroking small circles in the small of my back; he only did that when he was feeling extremely happy.

Two more slow songs went by, and then the band returned, refreshed from their break. They struck up a fast tune, and at that point, Steve and I headed off the floor. The band was halfway through their song when a voice echoed through the room.

"It is nearly midnight," Friday's voice announced cheerfully. "Ten minutes and counting!"

Tony perked up. "Everybody to the bar! Drinks for everyone, including the band!"

There, Tony produced from behind the bar two dozen small, individual chilled bottles of champagne, which he proceeded to open with expert quickness.

Everyone snatched at the bottles, and as they began the countdown out loud, Steve put an arm around me, pulling me close as we got closer to the new year.

"I love you, Adena Rogers," he whispered, leaning close. "And I fully resolve to love you more this upcoming year."

Touched, I smiled up at him. "And I love you, Steve Rogers," I softly replied. "You are my love, my friend, and my hero."

"3, 2, 1, Happy New Year!" shouted the others, before launching into cheers and laughter as Tony shook up and sprayed a bottle of champagne over everyone.

I gave a playful shriek of protest, but stopped as Steve pulled me into a quiet corner, away from the crowd. The two of us exchanged a loving look as we clinked our drink bottles in celebration, took the obligatory sip, and promptly kissed one another as fireworks exploded outside the Tower.

Hopefully this next year would be quieter and better than the last one.

* * *

AN: Review?


	5. Superhero Meetings

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing associated with _**Marvel, Captain America, the Avengers, etc**_. Only original characters and ideas are mine.

AN: Sorry it's been a while since I've posted, but here's a new short story. Please enjoy, and don't forget to review. Thanks.

 **Superhero Meetings** :

"I don't like this," Steve muttered as we walked through Central Park.

Frowning, I smacked him in the arm. "You've been saying that for days. Stop it."

Keeping pace beside me, Sam sighed. "She's right, Cap. I know this isn't the meeting place you were hoping for, but being out in a public place isn't a good idea right now. Not with the media still buzzing with what to do with superheroes."

Steve growled a little in the back of his throat, but said nothing. As much as I wanted to, I really couldn't look at him; he was wearing one of those SHIELD disguise-mesh things, to keep people from recognizing him, and hearing his voice come out of a different face freaked me out a bit.

Sam was the only one of us who wasn't much recognized in public. His face hadn't been plastered all over the papers or Internet as much as Tony's or Steve's, so he was able to go around without getting mobbed by fans. However, today we weren't taking any chances, so Sam had decided to wear a hat and sunglasses, to blend in. It was a tactic that was amazingly effective.

I had chosen to try and hide my identity as well, using the same technique as Sam. Although I was still a target for the media, for some reason the addition of sunglasses and hat threw everyone off. Sometimes, it made people do a double-take, but other than that, nothing much happened.

Having all of us incognito was necessary on this particular trip. We were going to meet Scott Lang, and we'd decided that Central Park was the ideal spot, since there were tons of areas to have a private chat, away from prying eyes.

In a rare instance, we three were also completely alone -I had been careful to arrange this meeting during a time when Steve, Sam and I all were off-duty from the new Avengers base. It was going to be kept quiet until we were sure about Scott's motives in regards to being a superhero. After this meeting, if he wanted to join the Avengers, and if we felt he was 'worthy,' we would gather the team together and see if they were willing to accept another new member.

If, on the off chance Scott decided to pass on joining us, I knew that the group would have to be called anyway, so that we could put Ant Man on a list of potential future members. Personally, I felt that getting Scott to join the team would take a bit of persuading, but when it came to people, you never know what to expect from them.

After twenty minutes, we reached the coordinates that had been agreed on. Steve deactivated his disguise while I pulled off the glasses and hat I was wearing. Sam decided to keep his shades and hat on, because he knew he looked cool in them, even when he was trying to keep it subtle.

To my left, Steve shifted from one foot to the other, his gaze drifting everywhere as he analyzed the area, searching for escape routes if we needed one. As he did so, I managed to hold back a sigh. I couldn't stop his soldier skills from popping up, especially in a situation like this one. We were meeting with someone who had abilities unlike anything we'd seen before; could I really blame him for being nervous?

Sam, on the other hand, was calm. He'd met Scott before, and seemed to like him. I kind of liked Scott, too, but that wasn't enough for Steve, especially after what had happened at Tony's holiday party.

Something landed on my shoulder, and as I reached up to brush whatever it was off, a voice exclaimed in my ear, "Don't! It's just me!"

My hand froze in mid-air as I let out a short laugh. Instead of making to slap the source of the voice, I instead offered my hand palm up. I felt the sensation of something walk onto my palm and slowly moved it so that I could look at the person kneeling there. Steve turned to see what I was doing, but I motioned him to be quiet as I went to set Scott down several feet away, to give him room to change size. As soon as I was a safe distance away, he did exactly that.

"Whew!" he huffed as the helmet slid open. "That's always a rush, no matter how many times I do it."

Smiling broadly, he gave Steve a nod of acknowledgement. "Captain," he said, adding a small salute. "Falcon."

"Scott," Sam said, smiling a little as he returned the greeting, but not the salute.

Steve, however, remained as still as a statue, and just as tense. "So, you're the one who broke into our base," he said, scowling a little.

I sighed. "Sorry," I apologized to Scott. "He's angry that someone managed to get past the base's defenses, even though they're supposed to be impenetrable."

Steve had wanted to let Tony know about _that_ particular situation, since the defenses were all Tony's designs, but Sam wanted to keep this quiet until we officially got Scott on the team. Both men had eventually managed to compromise on the situation: Steve let Tony know that the base had been broken into by a guy with shrinking tech (without any names being dropped), and Tony had modified everything accordingly. The base was now, according to Tony, so secure that not even an insect could get inside without sensors picking it up, and agents or Avengers being sent to investigate.

Meanwhile, to keep the rest of the team in the dark about Scott, Steve had told them that he was assigning Sam to start an investigation into who the 'thief' was. Since none of the others wanted more work on their plates, and since everyone liked Sam a great deal and trusted him, they'd agreed.

So here we were, meeting face-to-face, and trying to achieve some sort of deal or compromise with a potential superhero. Steve wasn't sure he wanted a thief on the team, even if Scott claimed to be a reformed one. But Steve also acknowledged that we couldn't have someone with such unique abilities running unchecked in the world.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Scott said, looking between the three of us, "But it was necessary. I wouldn't have broken in and stolen that tech if it hadn't been important."

"Saving the world type stuff," Sam reminded Steve, though both of them still looked a bit doubtful about the other man's motives. "That's what he told me when we had our fight at the base."

I cleared my throat. "Actually, I think Scott's telling the truth. I did a little research, and my guess is that the guy who gave Scott the suit is Hank Pym, head of Pym Technologies."

All three men stared at me. "How do you know that?" Scott asked, his hand inching slowly towards the shrinking device on his arm.

I shrugged. "SHIELD files," I replied. "I did a lot of reading over the past couple weeks, and made a few calls."

I then gave them a short summary of what I'd discovered. Apparently, Tony's dad, Howard Stark, and Steve's former flame, Peggy Carter, headed SHIELD the same time Hank Pym worked there. They were even friends with one another. Pym was a great scientist, so it figured that Howard got along well with him.

But along the way, something happened that caused Hank to leave SHIELD and take his tech with him. Neither the files nor my sources mentioned what caused the fall-out, but they did suggest that Hank refused to share with his tech with his friends at SHIELD, which might have been the cause of the rift.

"I also found out that Pym Technologies' primary research facility imploded," I said, giving Scott a pointed look. "Right after you took the tech from our base. That's probably not a coincidence, right?"

Scott gave a cocky smirk and a half-hearted shrug. "Things got a bit messier than I thought they would, but we got the job done."

Now it was my turn to eye him closely. "We? So Hank Pym _did_ help you with that whole thing. You're lucky no one got hurt during that whole thing."

Sam cleared his throat. "You _do_ know we're on a bit of a time limit here, right?" he said, looking around at the trees and bushes surrounding us. "Someone's bound to come across this party of ours, and then we'd have a lot of explaining to do."

He was right. We might be out of sight, and a good distance from the nearest jogging paths, but people did tend to wander into the woods, for some strange reason or another. And if they heard voices where there shouldn't be any –well, that just made people curious, and curious people were the last thing we needed.

Scott seemed to understand this, too. "I know that the Falcon here put out feelers to try to contact me, and I did want to meet you guys up close, if only to say that I'm not a bad guy or anything. But I have a feeling there's something else you want to talk about."

I decided to let Steve take the lead on this –at least for now.

Steve crossed his arms. "Considering the tech you have, we were thinking it might be a good idea for you to join the Avengers."

There was a rather awkward pause as Scott stood there, a somewhat thoughtful and dumbfounded look on his face. "Well, I'm flattered, Captain, but I've got to tell you that I'm not much of a team player."

He made a face as he backpedaled a little. "Okay, I've worked well with others before, but they were not law-abiding types. Even though I've changed for the better, I don't think I'd mix very well with your kind of 'team.'"

I tried not to laugh as Scott made a circle in the air with his hand at the end of the sentence, clearly indicating that he meant the entire Avengers group. Sam seemed to be taking this in good humor, but Steve still had a frown on his face, and that was making Scott even more uncomfortable.

As I looked at my husband a little bit closer, I finally realized what was _really_ bothering him. "Don't mind Steve," I said turning back to Scott. "He's still mad that you cornered me in the bathroom during Tony's party."

Scott chuckled while my husband glared at him. "Yeah, I should apologize for that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was the only way to get someone alone, and I figured that Mrs. Rogers would be the best bet."

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "I swear I didn't see anything that I shouldn't. Besides, I don't go for married women, and I sort of have a girl already."

"You see?" I said, smacking Steve on the shoulder a little. "No harm done, so stop looking like you want to beat up the poor guy."

"We've also made our offer, and he's turned it down," Sam put in. "Though, you do realize that, sooner or later, you're going to be on a list of potential Avengers, and we'll keep asking you to join, right?"

Scott sighed. "Yeah, I sort of figured you'd say that. Not that I blame you, but try to keep the pressure off of me, okay?" He grinned. "I get enough of people keeping an eye on me in my current situation."

"I assume you mean Hank Pym?" I asked with a laugh. The gleam in Scott's eye was enough of an answer. "Tell him we could use a brain like his, since Tony Stark has decided to leave the team -at least for now. We don't know if Tony has decided to make it a permanent leave, or temporary one, but we do need a set of smarts to fall back on."

Scott gave a small grimace. "Um, I don't think that's going to happen, either. Considering that he and Howard Stark's friendship ended on a bad note, I'm guessing he doesn't want to go anywhere near something that Stark Junior had anything to do with. I'll talk to him about it, but don't hold your breath."

"Fair enough," I replied. "Will you at least mention it to him? He can call Stark Tower, and they'll forward the call to me, if you think my talking to him it will make him more comfortable."

"I think it might," Scott said, looking thoughtful. "After I talked with you at Christmas, I told him about it. Hank said that Howard Stark had always thought Captain Rogers was one of the best men he'd ever known, and figured that the Captain wouldn't pick just any girl to be his wife."

"Damn straight," Steve muttered as Sam smirked.

"So that makes you high on his call list," Scott finished, smiling a little. "Try not to take her for granted, Captain. She's not a superhero, but she's a good woman. You won't find another like her just anywhere."

With the push of a button, Scott shrank and vanished into the foliage of the Park. Steve rushed to see if he could spot him, but I just stood there and smiled as my husband began digging around, like a little boy searching for buried treasure.

"Steve, that's enough," I said after a few minutes. "He's long gone by now, and we need to get back to the base and call everyone together for a meeting."

"You almost make us sound like a club, or a company's board of directors," Sam teased as Steve came to join us, activating his tech disguise as he did so.

I shrugged and put on my hat and sunglasses. "It kind of is. You guys are in the business of saving the world, and a lot of what you do affects it. That's why we're trying to recruit anyone with special technology, abilities, or powers: so that we can keep the world safe, but also keep an eye on anyone who might accidentally cause harm to innocent people."

Then I looked over at Steve. "That's also what makes it a sort of exclusive club. I mean, how many people have magic hammers, super-soldier serum, or other unique abilities, like magic or super-speed?"

"Good point," Sam admitted. "And you have to admit, having personal connections is how most of us got to become Avengers. Rhodes and I were able to join because we know Cap and Stark. The Vision and Cyan are Stark's creations, and the Twins got their abilities because of weapons Stark designed, and which killed their parents and caused them to volunteer for HYDRA's science experiments."

"Yeah, it's one big, exclusive club," Steve sarcastically joked.

I put a hand on his shoulder and felt how tense he was. Moving my hand, I slipped it into his, where his fingers gripped mine tightly for a few seconds. Slowly, he relaxed, and the vice-like grip turned into a soft, loving one.

"Well, now we have the chance to bring in new people," I softly said as we avoided a crowd of tourists. "Scott seems like a good guy –I doubt Hank Pym would have chosen him if he wasn't, and Dr. Pym seems to be the type of person who trusts few people."

"Yeah, well, I can't wait to see how the rest of the team reacts to this," Sam muttered as we headed for the car. "Should be interesting."

* * *

"Wait," Natasha said, holding up a hand. "So some guy with shrinking technology broke into our base, kicked Sam's ass, stole something, and now you guys want to invite the guy to be an Avenger?"

Steve sighed. "Yup, pretty much."

The others looked angry, annoyed, or amused –or all three. Natasha, though, kept her face pretty expressionless, which meant she was thinking over what we'd said pretty carefully.

"We wanted to keep quiet about this until we were sure about him," I put in. "Now seems like a good time to tell you about him…especially since he's turned us down."

Rhodes looked at me in disbelief. "He turned you down? And you let him walk away?"

I rolled my eyes at him. " _Hello_ ; shrinking tech! I'm pretty sure that if we tried capturing him, he'd have escaped. Plus, we were in a place public enough that if a fight had broken out, things would have gotten seriously messy."

"So, what? We just let the guy wander around, imploding buildings?" Rhodes asked impatiently.

"That's different," I firmly told him. "There was a situation that required drastic measures. How many times have any of you guys been in that kind of tough spot?"

Natasha looked doubtful. "He could have called us. That's what we're here for."

I sighed. "Hank Pym doesn't trust us; at least, not yet. He had a bad falling out with Tony's dad a long time ago, and I think he's afraid that Tony is the same as Howard. You can't blame him for trying to be overly cautious when it comes to trusting people backed by the son of a former friend."

I bit my lip a little. "Besides, I think there was more to that implosion than we know. Hadn't there been some kind of coop against Pym, where he was voted out of his business? Whomever took over his company was probably a bad guy, and destroying whatever was going on in that building was probably the right thing to do."

"So what do we do now?" Pietro asked. "Should we force him into joining us?"

"Scott doesn't want to join up with us," Steve said. "Not yet. He wants to talk to Pym first, and see what he says. Scott seems to think that Adena can win Pym over, so one of them is going to call her eventually. Probably not for a while, though. For now, all we can do is wait. If we push too hard, he might decide not to join."

"We don't want to force him, either," I firmly put in, scowling at Rhodes as he tried to protest. "We don't want to become bullies and wrestle an unwilling person into a role they don't want. This has to be his choice."

Natasha tapped the top of the metal meeting table with her fingers. "We can't have rogue individuals running around using powers and abilities, either, Adena. People will start calling them vigilantes, and it won't be long until they'll start looking at us and saying that the Avengers are vigilantes. Then they'll want to put a stop to us."

"Probably not," Rhodes said, surprising everyone. "We're the only thing keeping the world safe from threats that no nation can possibly deal with. As a group, we are strong and grudgingly accepted, if not respected -world leaders know that. An individual running amuck, fighting crime and apprehending criminals, is either going to be a hero, or a nuisance."

Sam nodded. "Exactly. If the person becomes a hero doing things on their own, great -we can leave them alone and let them do their thing. If they become a pain or a threat to civilians, we'll put a stop to them. Once the public realizes that we're willing to take down a 'fellow superhero' for the greater good, we'll begin earning even more trust from them."

As much as I hated thinking about the team 'taking down' a nice guy like Scott, I had to admit, Sam was right. As superheroes, the Avengers would have to enforce their own kind of law or justice if a hero looked like they were going bad, or becoming a problem.

"We'll give them a few weeks, and see what happens," Steve declared, using his authoritative voice. "If we don't hear from them, I'll have Maria Hill look into Scott and see if there's a way to track him down. He must have friends or family we can talk to."

I felt a surge of panic. "Don't use his little girl!" I blurted out. "He's got a daughter. I won't let you guys use her against him!"

That made everyone pause and exchange glances. Just from the subtle body language, I could tell that they weren't willing to put an innocent child in the middle of Avenger business, no matter what.

"We'll find another way," Natasha quietly said as she looked at me. She knew how much I liked kids, and vice versa. Nat would willingly walk into a hail of bullets to save a child -she'd never put one in danger.

I gave her a tiny smile and a nod as everyone got to their feet and began dispersing. Cyan, Steve and I were the last to leave, and I was surprised when Cyan pulled me aside for a private word.

"I would be more than happy to research Mr. Lang's personal information," he said. "I could do so much faster than Agent Hill or Romanoff."

Now that was a thought. "Okay," I agreed. "But let Steve and I know what you find, first. I don't want someone heading over for a 'private chat' with Hank Pym or Scott before they've had a chance to come to their own decisions on the matter."

Cyan agreed, and headed off towards the massive computer chamber that he and Vision inhabited whenever they were at the base. He'd probably have everything available on Scott within a couple days, but would only hand it over to me once he'd triple-checked it all.

Left alone with Steve, I looked over and saw him staring at the floor, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Are you okay?" I asked, worrying in spite of myself.

He looked up at me and smiled. "I'm fine. Just got a lot on my mind."

I smiled back. "I can imagine. But we've got a bit of a breather now, don't we? Maria says things are a bit quiet, and I'm sure the others can hold down the fort while we go out for an afternoon in New York City."

Steve's smile turned into a grin. "I like the way you think, Mrs. Rogers."

I laughed. "Thank you, Captain," I teased as he put an arm around me and led me out the door.

* * *

AN: A more romantic chapter coming up next. After that, I'm not sure when (or what) I'll post, but it all depends. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and will review. Thanks!


	6. A Star-Studded Valentine's Day

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing associated with _**Marvel, Captain America, the Avengers, etc**_. Only original characters and ideas are mine.

AN: Unless inspiration hits, this will probably the last short story I'm going to post before _**Civil War**_ comes out. Then it'll be a while until I post my own version of the film, so brace yourselves for a long wait. Please enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review. Thanks.

 **A Star-Studded Valentine's Day : **

Sitting in his chair, Steve thought about what Scott Lang had said about Adena. _Try not to take her for granted, Captain. She's not a superhero, but she's a good woman. You won't find another like her just anywhere._

He was right. In every way, Adena was one of the best women Steve had ever known. His wife was kind, fun (as well as funny), brave, and had a spark in her that showed attitude and vivacity. She was able to keep a bunch of superheroes in line in ways no one else could, and had earned the respect of each and every one of them. She might not be a superhero in the traditional sense, but she had become a crucial part of their team. Just imagining what the Avengers might be like without Adena around made Steve cringe.

With Scott's words ringing in his head, Steve felt that perhaps he had taken his wife for granted, and it was now that he realized he hadn't really shown his wife how much she meant to him. He constantly told her that he loved her, but _saying_ it was one thing –showing it in a creative, thoughtful, romantic way was something else altogether.

Which is why he thanked his lucky stars for Valentine's Day.

Normally, he and Adena didn't celebrate the romantic holiday. In the past, every time it had rolled around, Steve was off doing some kind of mission or another, and by the time he came back, it was long over. At first, he'd wanted to make up for it by taking her to dinner or an evening out. But when he told Adena about it, she'd waved all that all aside, insisting that it wasn't necessary and that having him home safe and sound was enough for her. They did make up for it in 'other ways,' but every year he couldn't help thinking that he ought to have done something more romantic.

This year, Steve fully intended to do right by her. And to do that, he needed the help of the one man who could sweep any woman off her feet.

* * *

The smirk on Tony Stark's face was famous. It appeared whenever he'd done a successful business deal, winning over a hardened individual that most claimed would never back down. Women melted before it, and men had been known to show their humorous side whenever Tony displayed his charm through that signature smirk.

For a rather substantial chunk of the population, however, that smirk got on their nerves, and downright angered or annoyed them. Steve was a member of that particular club.

Lucky for him, Stark hadn't pulled it out yet.

"We had this kind of conversation before, didn't we?" Tony said, giving him a genuine amused smile as he took a sip of scotch. "When you were trying to get Adena to date you, all those years ago? And when you were thinking about asking her to marry you?"

"It wasn't _that_ long ago," Steve muttered as he swirled the can of cola in his hand. "And this is different. I'm not trying to get her to date me -I want to show her how much she means to me."

Tony sighed and reclined back in his seat. "Well, that's the tricky part. When you're dating, the whole thing with jewelry, chocolates, and fancy dinners is easy. You're getting to know one another, and everything's bright and shiny and new."

He sipped his drink again. "But after being together for so long and getting married, showing how much you care gets harder. You need to put more effort into it."

"That's what I need help with," Steve said, irritated. "I need to do something special."

Flowers, chocolates and jewelry weren't good enough. Adena wasn't much for jewelry, and flowers and candy seemed too small a gesture. As humble as Steve was when it came to displays of affection, especially through gift-giving, he wanted to do something huge and memorable, as well as romantic.

"I don't think many women could have done what Adena has for me," Steve said, fiddling with his soda can.

"Oh, you mean standing by you during alien invasions and killer robots?" Tony said, holding up a hand to count off on. "Surviving getting abducted by Loki, _twice_ , before that nut Sharon Carter got hold of her? Sam Wilson also told me that, after you got shot during that disaster at SHIELD headquarters, Adena was ready to fight her way through hospital security and FBI agents to your side. And she did, too."

Steve's memories of that day were still foggy, but Sam had told him that story, too. Never mind that Adena couldn't fight, not like Natasha could, but when she was mad, every one of the Avengers knew to get out of her way. Hospital personnel and FBI agents didn't stand a chance.

But Adena had not only stood by him, she'd put aside any expectations of a normal life. The least he could do was show her how much he loved her, and how he appreciated her sacrifices.

"Is this going to be one of those go-big-or-go-home moments?" Tony asked excitedly as he poured himself another glass, "Because I am _so_ awesome at those."

Yes, he certainly was, and that was precisely why Steve had asked for a meeting in the first place. "I was hoping to get her someplace quiet, where I could have something romantic set up for just the two of us."

"Dinner in a romantic outdoor setting?" Tony suggested. "Roses, candles, lights, discreet wait-staff?"

That was a good idea, but Steve had considered it already, and decided against it. As much as Adena enjoyed a fancy dinner, having a staff hover nearby would make her uncomfortable. Plus, it was far too cold to eat outside.

Tony heaved a sigh. "Okay, let's narrow things down a bit. What, exactly, are you trying to say to her in actions, as well as words?"

Steve thought about it. "I want her to know how much I love her, and that she means the world to me. She gives me a reason to fight and to keep going, even when things take a turn for the worst."

The billionaire chuckled. "She does have a way of motivating us heroes, doesn't she? Okay, I think I get the gist of it. I even have an idea I think will work out just fine. No, don't ask what it is; I want it to be as much of a surprise for you as it will be for her. I'll send a car for you both on Valentine's Day. How does that sound?"

"And you're sure she'll like it?" Steve asked anxiously. He didn't care if he, personally, liked it. All that matter was what Adena thought of whatever crazy idea Tony had come up with.

"It'll be fine," Tony assured him, waving a hand at him in a nonchalant manner. "Just make sure you're both ready by six o'clock. Okay?"

Steve agreed and left the Tower, wondering what he'd gotten himself and his wife into.

* * *

It hadn't been easy to convince Adena to be ready at the designated time. She'd pressured him for days to tell her what was going on, but Steve had held firm, insisting that it was a surprise, and that he didn't want to ruin it.

That was actually a big flaw in Tony's plan (or at least, the part of the plan he'd revealed): If there was one thing Adena hated most, it was surprises.

Well, technically, that wasn't entirely true. Adena did like small surprises, like whenever Steve brought home a pretty bouquet of flowers for her, or a small gift. Recently, Natasha had taken to sending small food or relaxation baskets, because she felt Adena was wearing herself out and not taking good care of herself. Adena liked those well enough, and appreciated them.

But big things, like a dinner at a secret place, with a lot of possible secret gifts that might be there, made her cranky. She also knew that being secretive wasn't exactly Steve's style, and that made her more suspicious.

But since he told her it was for Valentine's Day, Adena had decided to give in and do as he asked, despite of her misgivings. She was ready before six, and helped Steve finish his tie just before Sunny informed them that a car was waiting out front.

The sight of the limo out front was enough of a clue for her. "Tony or Pepper helped with this, didn't they?" Adena said with a sigh. "Steve, you don't need them to pull off something romantic! I know you can do that on your own."

He loved her for saying that, though it wasn't precisely the truth. Yes, he could do romantic gestures, but small ones: surprising her with flowers or jewelry, or taking her to her favorite restaurant after she'd had a bad day, that sort of thing. But for a grand gesture, he really had needed serious help.

"Come on," Steve coaxed her, gently leading her to the car. "It'll be fun."

She sighed a little through her nose, a quirk of hers that he found adorable, as well as useful. After being married so long, he'd picked up on ways to find out what her moods were. Right now, she was a little annoyed, but from the tilt of her head, she was also curious.

Feeling a bit more optimistic, Steve opened the limo door and assisted Adena inside. The driver greeted them and said their destination wasn't far, though they should still buckle in.

Their drive was short, and Steve was shocked when they pulled into the underground garage of Stark Tower. Adena looked confused as well as surprised, but said nothing as Tony's head of security, Happy Hogan, came to open the door and assisted them out of the car.

"Captain and Mrs. Rogers," Hogan greeted them. "Your evening has been set up upstairs. Please follow me."

Steve offered his arm to his wife, who took it as they trailed behind their escort. Up the elevator they went, arriving at one of the top levels –namely, the science area.

By now, Steve was just as confused as Adena, but much more frustrated. He'd asked Tony for help with a romantic evening, not a night of science experiments and lectures!

They were led to the doorway Steve knew led to one of Tony's personal work areas, and they stepped through it, into outer space.

Well, that's what it felt like. The lights had been dimmed, and all around were glowing holograms of stars floating around the room. A beam of comfortable light shown down into the very center of the room, where a small table was set up with white tablecloths and two places, a bucket of ice with a bottle of chilled champagne sitting close by.

Steve had to admit that it was actually very romantic, and quite beautiful. Adena was looking around the room in awe, and when the waiters came to pull out the chairs, she took hers without a word. Steve took the other chair, and the two sat silently as the wait staff introduced themselves as Gina and Tom.

"We've been hired by Mr. Stark to make sure your evening is a pleasant one," Gina said with a smile as Tom poured the champagne. "Dinner will be out momentarily. Would you like some music, or would you prefer silence?"

"Music, please," Adena managed to say as she accepted a glass from Tom. "Something soft; maybe classical?"

Gina nodded before she and Tom left, vanishing into the darkness on one side of the room. Watching the stars float around them, Steve took a drink and wished it had the ability to affect him the way it did other men.

' _I cannot believe Tony pulled all this off in a few days_ ,' he marveled as soft music began playing around them. ' _I have a feeling that I'm going to owe him a favor after this_.'

But it was worth it. Adena was watching the glowing orbs of light drift slowly by, and Steve couldn't help but smile as she reached out and tried to touch one. Her fingers drifted right through it, of course, but rather than make her pout, it made her laugh, the full, joyful laugh that made Steve smile just listening to her.

"This is _amazing_!" she exclaimed as she reached for another star. "I heard about this room, but never been inside."

Actually, Steve had never been in here, either –no one had, except Dr. Banner. There was another lab upstairs similar to this one, but _this_ was Tony's private area, a sanctuary where he could work undisturbed. For him to open this room up to his friends was beyond anything Steve had expected.

Dinner was served: a delicious filet of beef, roasted potatoes, and creamed spinach. Conversation was light, but comfortable, with the two of them trading ideas and news about the Avengers team.

Just as Steve was about to ask for seconds on his meal (thanks to his soldier serum), dessert was brought out on a shining silver platter –a small, frosted chocolate cake in the shape of a heart, surrounded by chocolate covered strawberries.

Since chocolate was a favorite for them both, they attacked the sweet treats, and soon polished off every bite. The empty plate was whisked away, replaced by coffee, a small tray of light cookies, and more champagne.

Just then, the music changed, shifting instead to soft modern songs that could be slow-danced to. Thrilled at the idea of dancing with his wife, Steve got to his feet and offered a hand. Smiling, she accepted it and let him lead her away from the table.

"This is fantastic," Adena whispered as he put his arms around her, the two of them swaying to the music. "It's like being in the center of the cosmos, with all the stars dancing around me."

Steve took a sharp breath. "That's it," he breathed, squeezing her close.

She looked up him in confusion. "What? What is it?"

"That's what I wanted to say with this date," Steve said, smiling at her. "I wanted you to know that you were the center of my world, that you are everything to me. I couldn't do what I do without you here, with me."

She smiled back, the warm, soft smile that always made his heart dance a little. He treasured that smile –it was the one she gave just before she said the words that made him feel like the luckiest man in the world.

"I love you, Steve Rogers," she whispered, standing on her toes to kiss him.

* * *

Kissing Steve was always wonderful, but tonight, was even more so.

In the darkness, surrounded by stars and swaying to soft music, it felt like we were the only people in the entire universe, caught in a moment that seemed to have no end.

But eventually, the music stopped, and so did our dancing. When it finished and we turned to have more champagne, I saw a silver wrapped box on the table. "A gift? You didn't have to do that, Steve. This evening was already perfect."

When I saw the puzzled look on his face, I realized that this wasn't from him. Figuring it was from Tony, acting on Steve's behalf, I opened the box. Inside was a memory card with a gold heart imprinted on the top. There was a card, too.

 _I thought you would like a memento of your evening together. -Signed, Tony_

"Should I be worried that he recorded our date?" Steve grumbled, eyes looking around for the camera.

I shrugged and picked up the memory card. "Well, it would figure that he'd have some sort of recording devices in his lab. He _is_ a scientist, after all."

A door opened, and in walked Happy Hogan, who looked rather uncomfortable. "I hope I'm not interrupting," he apologized. "The wait staff said it looked like the date was coming to an end, and I figured I'd try and get you both home before it got too late."

"How late is it?" Steve asked as I looked at my watch.

"Midnight?" I gasped. "Well, I think we set a record for longest date ever, for us."

Steve and I both took some final sips of the bubbly, and followed Happy down to the car. The ride back was short, and Steve and I spent it cuddling close, my head on his shoulder as we walked into the apartment.

After locking the door, I turned and found Steve giving me a look and a small, inviting smirk. I found myself blushing a little as he took my hand, and I knew that our evening wasn't over yet.

You've gotta love Valentine's Day.

* * *

AN: Review?


	7. Overdue Reunions

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing associated with _**Marvel, Captain America, the Avengers, etc**_. Only original characters and ideas are mine.

AN: With Bucky making an appearance in _Civil War_ , I realized it was about time to bring him and Anna back into the picture. I'll also be doing my best to get my own version of **_Civil War_** posted as soon as I can, but that probably won't be for a while, since writing a different plot off a movie is pretty difficult. It should be posted by the end of May, though.

Please enjoy this last short story, and don't forget to review! Thanks!

 **Overdue Reunions** :

"Are you sure everything looks alright?" I asked, staring at the perfectly set dinner table. "I mean, it's been a while since we've had anyone over, much less close friends and family."

Steve smiled and came to wrap his arms around my waist. "It looks great," he assured me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "And considering how long it's been since we've seen them, I doubt they'll care more about seeing the table than seeing us."

He had me there. Turning my head, I pressed a kiss to his lips. "Thanks. I just want things to look nice for them."

"I know," he acknowledged. "Now, why don't you pull out the appetizer tray and I'll get the wine? They're going to be here any minute, and will probably be starved after the long drive."

We immediately went into party host mode, the two of us heading off to our tasks. I'd just put the snack tray on the coffee table when a frantic knock sounded on the door. Somehow, I managed to hold it together as I went to answer it, my stomach tightening in knots as I undid the locks.

The door barely opened two inches before I was tackled, an excited squeal sounding just as I was pulled into a tight hug.

Instantaneously, my nerves disappeared and were replaced with excitement and joy. My arms went around the person in front of me, and I couldn't hold back a couple tears.

"I'm so happy to see you, Anna," I whispered.

* * *

Joining the others inside the apartment, Bucky Barnes closed the door behind him and deactivated his disguise, smiling at the sight of the two cousins.

When Director Coulson had called, suggesting the two cousins reunite for some "family time," Anna had practically exploded with excitement. In less than a minute, she'd been on the phone, calling up Adena to immediately start making plans. The two had talked for hours, tossing ideas back and forth about food, outfits, and the many things they'd all do together in New York City.

Bucky had (wisely) decided to stay out of the whole planning. The only part he'd played was simply agreeing to pack his own suitcase and do what Anna told him. Two years of living with her had taught him _never_ to mess with anything she planned out.

Besides, he had his own worrying to do -namely how he was going to handle being around Steve again after so long.

It was hard to believe that two years had gone by already, and that the two former-but-still best friends had barely seen or spoken to one another.

From the occasional accounts they got from Director Coulson (and the evening news reports), Bucky knew that Steve was constantly out on Avengers business, saving the world one country at a time. SHIELD's Director also implied that Adena was always in the center of the tornado of heroes, assisting them during their missions. Between the Avengers' missions and dealing with real life, the two of them probably barely had time to spend with one another, much less call up old friends and family. They did send e-mails, and tried video chatting once every couple months, but that only happened when they could all find a rare spare moment.

So, of course, when the opportunity of spending a week together came up, both women had jumped on it. The possibility had never really popped up, and this was their chance to catch up.

A small sting of guilt hit Bucky right in the heart. He knew that he was partially responsible for Anna not being able to spend more time with her favorite cousin. Coulson didn't want to risk Bucky showing his face too often in public, especially since HYDRA was still out there, weakened but not entirely gone. It seems that parts of the criminal organization, and even individuals operating on their own, still wanted their Winter Soldier under their control, even though they had to know that he wasn't the brainwashed assassin he used to be.

"The governments of the world want you, too, but for different reasons," Coulson had stated in one of his recent calls. "Most want you to answer for past crimes, and there's only so far we can push the excuse that you were brainwashed, experimented on, tortured, and forced to carry out HYDRA's orders. I doubt even the best defense lawyers can get you anything less than life in prison…probably in a super-max facility, where you won't be very comfortable, or safe."

And so, Bucky and Anna had stayed hidden, doing their best to live somewhat normal lives, going out for groceries, to the movies, and eating out at cafés. They even dared to take a day-trip once in a while, to see new towns or look at some fresh scenery.

' _Although, it just isn't much of a trip when you have to wear disguise mesh over your face, and you know there are at least two SHIELD agents watching your every move…for your protection, of course_.'

In spite of all that, they'd been happy these past two years, and as time passed, Bucky grew to love Anna even more. He loved her patience, her kindness, and how she did not run and hide whenever he had a tantrum over failing to recover some of his memories. When it came to a fight, Anna gave as good as she got, and that made him respect her even more.

But what he loved most was how well Anna understood him.

Anna was that one-in-a-million, a person who saw that he wasn't Bucky Barnes, and that he wasn't the Winter Soldier, either. She hadn't forced him to pick-and-choose which one he wanted to be, and over the time they'd spent together, Anna had helped him reach a delicate balance between both personalities, with his old self emerging as the victor. Even though he had few memories of most of his time as the Winter Soldier, those dark memories still lingered inside, and with Anna's help, Bucky had come to accept that they were part of him, and always would be.

Still, in spite of all the emotional and psychological damage he carried, Anna loved and supported him, and that is what got him through each day.

* * *

"It's so good to see you," Anna said, her voice breaking into Bucky's thoughts. "I know how busy you guys have been."

Adena sighed and pulled back from the hug. "Yeah, it's been rough. But that's not the kind of talk I want for today. I want us to have fun and stuff ourselves silly!"

Smiling, Bucky watched the two link arms and head for the kitchen, discussing wine options for their meal. The scent of roasting beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls caused his stomach to growl; they hadn't even stopped for a snack on the long drive down, which had made their SHIELD driver rather grumpy.

"It's great to see you, Buck," greeted Steve's warm voice. "You look good."

"Thanks." Bucky nervously ran a hand through his chin-length hair. "It's a bit shorter than before. Anna insisted that I trim it a bit; she said I was starting to look shaggy."

He had briefly thought about getting rid of his facial hair, but to his surprise, Anna kind of liked it. And to be honest, _he_ liked it when she ran her hand over his cheek to feel the bristles there, so keeping it was a win for both of them.

"It looks good," Steve said again, a smile on his face. "You both seem happy, too."

"We are," Bucky admitted as they followed the women into the kitchen. "Although, planning this trip has made Anna happier than I've seen her for a while. She's really missed Adena."

"Same," Steve replied. "But we'll make up for it now, won't we?"

Bucky smiled. They certainly would.

* * *

"So, the Avengers still don't know I'm alive and living with Adena's cousin?" Bucky asked, once lunch had been consumed and they'd settled in the living room with some cocktails.

"Nope," Adena calmly replied. "Natasha knows, of course, and Barton, but not the others. I think Maria Hill _might_ know, and if she knows, Nick Fury _definitely_ does. But that's probably the full extent of who knows about your living conditions."

"But how are you explaining the two strangers staying in your apartment?" Anna asked, looking skeptical.

Adena shrugged. "The story is that you're a couple of old friends of mine visiting from up-state. The Avengers were surprised when Steve asked for some time off, but they feel he deserves it, so they didn't protest, or ask many questions."

Bucky felt Anna settle in beside him, and put an arm around her shoulders. "Well, you can't keep this a secret forever," Anna countered as she leaned into his embrace. "They'll have to find out eventually."

"We'll tell them," Adena replied, giving Steve a firm look. "We're just in a tight spot right now. We're simply waiting for things to calm down a little before we break the news to the rest of the team."

Anna stiffened. "A tight spot?" she asked, concerned. "Is everything okay?"

Adena sighed. "Nothing for you to worry about. I'll fill you in later, if I can."

Bucky tried not to laugh at the scowl (mixed with a pout) on Anna's face. She clearly wanted to know what was up, but knew it was a bad idea to pry with this kind of secret. If Adena said that she would tell them, then she would.

"Well, here we are for a whole week," Bucky cheerfully exclaimed, holding his girl close. "Any ideas for what we can do while we're here?"

"We'll give you a tour of the city, take you guys out to some of the best places to eat, and to some of the best shows on Broadway," Adena excitedly replied. "And I plan on taking Anna out to do some serious shopping!"

Somehow, Bucky succeeded in holding back a groan. Hopefully, by the end of the trip, Anna wouldn't need another suitcase to lug everything home.

* * *

Mercifully, Anna was able to keep herself in check when it came to shopping. In the end, they did need another suitcase, but it was a small one.

' _Hard to believe we managed to do so much in so little time_ ,' Bucky thought with a smile. ' _The Empire State Building; a ferry around the Statue of Liberty; a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art; a few musicals on Broadway; shopping of all kinds; and fancy dinners out every night. I think that counts as a successful trip, if the ten million photos Adena and Anna took are any indication_.'

The four of them had hit the town hard, with Adena dragging them from one iconic destination to another so that Anna could see as much of the City as possible. Anna, of course, had been thrilled to spend all that time with her cousin –every time they left the apartment, it was as though they were attached at the hip, their arms linked as they walked down the street, laughing and chatting as Adena pointed out sights, potential restaurants to eat at, and shops she felt they needed to visit.

The only hiccup, as far as Bucky was concerned, was the disguise mesh that he and Anna had to wear out in public, to keep from being recognized. It'd taken a day or two for Steve and Adena to adjust to seeing them wearing other faces, but after that, it wasn't too much of a problem.

In spite of that, the girls had been in heaven, having a fantastic time together, while the men watched indulgently from the sidelines. Not that Bucky hadn't had fun during the trip –he'd enjoyed quite a lot of it, and it had been good for him to have another guy to talk to, mostly about stuff he couldn't discuss with Anna.

For him, however, the best part was seeing how thrilled Anna was, hanging out with Adena.

Even though they were happy with their current living conditions, Bucky felt that Anna needed another female to talk to, and this trip was proving therapeutic for her. In fact, after today, he had a feeling that the two women would soon be spending more time video chatting than they had before. Director Coulson was definitely going to have to set up a more secured communication software on their computers.

' _As for me; I'm glad Anna has gotten me to the point where reconnecting with Steve isn't a struggle anymore_.'

It actually felt good, talking with his friend about the past. Every night, Steve pulled out a book of old photos for them to look over, the two of them reminiscing and laughing over their shared past while drinking sodas or beer.

Bucky also had a lot of memories he didn't quite understand, all written in a spiral notebook he kept for that purpose (and which had been Anna's idea). Steve was more than happy to answer any questions he could, and what he couldn't, the two of them tried to solve together. Thanks to the mind-wiping he'd experienced at HYDRA's hands, there were still a number of gaps in his memories that Bucky continued to puzzle over, but at least he knew more now than when he'd arrived last week.

Now, sadly, the visit was at an end, and there was a car waiting, their driver waiting patiently in the vehicle. Steve and Bucky hurried to load the trunk while, upstairs, their girls exchanged last-minute promises to stay in touch. Steve hinted that Adena might also be pressing numerous snacks into Anna's hands, since she hated the idea of someone going hungry while traveling.

"She does it every time we head out on overseas missions," Steve commented as he shut the trunk.

"They really are something, aren't they?" Bucky asked, smiling as the women finally appeared, arm-in-arm.

Steve chuckled. "They really are," he said, putting his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Okay, I'm ready," Anna said, her voice still a little teary. "Let's go."

"Come visit again soon," Steve said as she hugged him goodbye. "We'd love to have you both."

"We'll plan something for summer," Adena agreed. "Maybe we could rent a cabin somewhere, just the four of us."

After agreeing on the idea, Bucky and Anna climbed into the car and buckled in, waving as they pulled into traffic. In half an hour, they were heading northwest, away from the city and back home.

Beside him, Anna still looked a bit down as she stared out the window. Knowing that it was now his turn to comfort her, Bucky reached out and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently to show her that he was there for her.

His gesture paid off, as Anna turned away from the window to look at him. A small smile lit her face as she leaned over and put her head on his shoulder.

Grinning, Bucky released her hand and put his arm around her shoulders, while his free hand subtly brushed against his jacket pocket. The contents of the little velvet box that sat there had taken several hours to find, all on the sly. If Steve hadn't been there to divert the girls' attention during their shopping excursions, Bucky would never have gotten away with keeping his purchase a secret.

Even though the box was small, it felt heavy, as though it were filled with the weight of the world. Which it was -Bucky was certain _his_ world would end if Anna didn't accept what was inside it.

' _I just have to wait for the right time_ ,' he thought as he felt her relax into his embrace.

It would be soon, though. Of that, Bucky was sure. It was only a matter of finding the right time and place to present it to her.

* * *

AN: I'll give everyone three guesses as to what's in the box, but I'm sure people will get it in one. Please be kind and review. Thanks!


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